Inspiring Future Caregivers Of Central Florida Is Goal Of Partnership Between AdventHealth, Junior Achievement Of Central Florida

Orlando, Fla., Jan. 23, 2024 – AdventHealth and Junior Achievement of Central Florida proudly announce a partnership to unite efforts to inspire Central Florida students to pursue a career in the health care industry. Together, the organizations are igniting a transformative approach to education, enhancing work and career readiness skills in the health care industry. 
As part of this strategic collaboration comprehensive lessons will be developed to equip students with the essential knowledge and confidence required for success in their health care careers. This joint endeavor embodies AdventHealth’s unwavering commitment to providing whole-person care beyond their hospital walls, setting the stage for a multi-year journey of support. As a not-for-profit health system, one of AdventHealth’s priorities is to invest back into the communities they serve – understanding it takes a collaborative approach to address our region’s pressing challenges to ensure Central Floridians thrive – body, mind and spirit. 
 
With this partnership, AdventHealth team members will engage with students in classrooms at schools in Orange and Osceola counties, allowing students to learn about pursing a potential health care career and provide feedback as to what a dream job looks like. The goal is to connect students with jobs in the health care field, and then help them grow and advance in a potential career with AdventHealth. That partnership will continue beyond graduation, with AdventHealth and Junior Achievement committed to keep connecting with students beyond high school. 
 
“Ensuring we continue to build a pipeline of compassionate people to care for the communities we serve now and in the future, is a top priority at AdventHealth,” said Sheila Rankin, CEO of AdventHealth Kissimmee. “This program gives us a unique opportunity to spark interest in health care careers for the workforce of the future.” 
 
“By regularly having AdventHealth employees in classrooms across Central Florida, we are hearing directly from students on what they want to see as they consider going into the health care industry,” said Karen Revels, President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Central Florida.
 
AdventHealth embeds learning throughout the organization as an inherent part of the team member culture, with a focus on continuous personal and professional growth and ongoing skills development. This partnership extends that philosophy into the community with a focus on the future workforce. 
 
The organization is taking steps to embrace the changing nature of health care. Recruiting and retaining nurses and other clinicians is also a high priority, with the hospital system launching a series of recruitment and retention initiatives including academic partnerships and classroom-to-career pipelines.  
   
United by a shared dedication to youth development and community enrichment, AdventHealth and Junior Achievement of Central Florida exemplify the transformative power of collaboration. Together, they are prepared to drive tangible change, equipping young individuals with the tools they need to thrive and excel in an ever-evolving world. 
 
About Junior Achievement of Central Florida 
Junior Achievement of Central Florida (JACF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. JACF’s educational programs impact students in kindergarten through 12th grade, with a focus on financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship.  
 
Chartered in 2010, the JA Florida Foundation represents the nine Florida JA chapters joining forces to link to schools across the state of Florida. This collaboration has allowed us each to grow our impact on our area's marginalized youth through statewide funding and support. Junior Achievement delivers K-12 programming for entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and career readiness.  
 
For more information on the organization, visit www.juniorachievement.org/web/ja-floridafoundation 
 
About AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division  
AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division encompasses more than 10 hospitals and ERs in the four counties in and surrounding metro Orlando. The world-class hospitals, combined with a comprehensive outpatient care network, see more than 2.5 million patient visits annually.  AdventHealth also has an expansive research portfolio in Central Florida, with more than 650 clinical trials and studies in progress. 
 
The organization has a deep commitment to serving the community and has a local financial impact of more than $1 billion annually. AdventHealth and its employees are responsible for nearly 20 percent of Central Florida’s economy.  
 
The division’s flagship campus — AdventHealth Orlando — boasts nationally and internationally recognized programs, and serves as a major tertiary and quaternary referral hospital for much of the Southeast, the Caribbean and Latin America. Quality specialty care is provided through AdventHealth Institutes, which is nationally recognized in numerous specialties. 
AdventHealth Orlando has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek and the Leapfrog Group.