Career, Leadership & Innovation Center
[Copy] Opening in the fall of 2023, the Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts Career, Leadership & Innovation Center (CLIC) represents a major renovation to our current office space in Tower Square in Springfield.
Groundbreaking Ceremony
Wednesday, April 5, 2023, 11am–12pm
Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts
Tower Square, 1500 Main Street, Suite 217, Springfield
The CLIC will be home to our many student programs with an emphasis on:
- Career Exploration: Helping students identify fulfilling career options and make wise decisions pertaining to post-secondary education.
- Innovation & Leadership: Expanding student thinking and skill development to prepare future leaders, entrepreneurial thinkers, and innovators.
- Financial Education: Providing students with the skills and knowledge that will allow them to make informed and effective decisions with their financial resources.
About the Career Center
The new CLIC will be a 21st-century environment for young people ages 13–25 to engage with Junior Achievement programs.
The center will include a:
- Full Classroom
- Manufacturing Room
- Skills Assessment & Career Exploration Lab
- Collaboration Zone
Before being bussed to CLIC, students will complete JA Inspire Virtual, a career exploration program designed to highlight careers and educational opportunities in the region. Within the center, students will participate in a seminar led by guest speakers from local businesses, then rotate through the modular-based learning experiences. Each full-day session will also include a financial literacy exercise.
The CLIC will be open after school for students interested in pursuing their entrepreneurial interests by operating their own student company. In the evenings, the center will be available to community organizations and local employers as a hub for learning and collaboration.
Student Programs
Programs offered at the CLIC are linked to career exploration/workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, and leadership development. Activities are designed to help students with the skill development necessary for career success.
These skills include:
- Attention to Detail
- Critical Thinking
- Strong Communication
- Aptitude for Technology
- Problem-Solving
- Teamwork
- Adaptability
- Dependability
- Entrepreneurial Thinking
Financial literacy activities are designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge to make informed and effective decisions with their financial resources. Students will gain skills and financial education including:
- Financial Planning
- Budgeting
- Forecasting
- Understanding Compound Interest
- Managing Debt
- Profitable Saving Techniques/Wealth Management
- Understanding Student Loans
- Handling Credit Cards
- Getting Jobs
- Applying for Mortgages
Goals
- 75% of students will indicate that they have a more positive attitude about personal finance after a JA program.
- 65% of students will indicate that they can identify their skills and interests after a JA program.
- 70% of teachers will indicate that their students demonstrated collaboration skills within a team situation after their JA program.
- Increase the percentage of low-to-moderate-income middle and high school students served by 3% annually.
- Increase the number of high school students served by 10%.
- Increase the number of students served by 10%.
Partners & Sponsors
Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts is creating the Career, Leadership & Innovation Center in collaboration with MassHire of Hampden County, the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council, and other community agencies to provide in and out-of-school space for students to gain the knowledge and experience to better prepare them to become successful, contributing members of our regional community.
