It is important for students to have the support they need to prepare for jobs of the future. Consider:
- 2 out of 3 new jobs will require education beyond high school by 2025, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
- 50% of jobs are at risk of being eliminated due to automation over the next couple of decades and COVID-19 is accelerating this trend in some industries (McKinsey Global Institute)
- 99% of the new jobs created since the last recession all require education beyond high school (Georgetown University)
That’s why we encourage all high schools in Florida to register and participate in the Florida College Access Network’s (FCAN) 4 College Ready Florida initiatives:
Apply Yourself Florida– This initiative seeks to increase the number of low-income students and students who are the first in their families to apply and attend college. This event gives students the opportunity to complete their college applications during normal school hours with the help of trained volunteers.
Florida FAFSA Challenge – Affordability is one of the biggest barriers to earning an education beyond high school. FAFSA is the most important step to making college more affordable. Yet, Florida ranks 32nd in the nation for FAFSA completion even though 58% of Florida high school seniors are Pell Grant-eligible (5th highest in the country). That’s why it’s so important for high schools to take on the Florida FAFSA Challenge that encourages schools to increase FAFSA completion by 5% or more than prior year.
Florida College Decision Day – This initiative celebrates the high school seniors who have made plans to continue their education or serve their country after high school, while inspiring lower grades to dream big.
Plan It Florida – This initiative provides schools, counselors and community organizations with resources to help students starting as early as middle school build a plan for what comes after high school by engaging in the 4 E’s—Expose, Explore, Experiment, Execute. This planning framework encourages students to explore their interests, career options, and the education they will need after high school to achieve their goals.
FCAN provides free resources to participating schools for each of the initiatives, including toolkits, handouts, and stickers. When you register, you’ll also receive weekly inspiration in your email inbox about the innovative ways other schools are supporting their students in preparing for the future.
Here are some of our other favorite college and career readiness resources:
This website helps students learn more about their strengths through assessments, and helps them explore careers. Students can learn about the education they will need and the colleges and universities in Florida who offer programs of study in their chosen field.
This website helps students learn about in-demand jobs, the wages for each job, the types of skills needed and the projected growth. Students can also learn about various colleges and universities in Florida to make an informed decision about where to attend. The site provides information on each institution’s admissions rate, cost to attend, graduation rate, programs of study and racial/ethnic make-up of the student body.
It’s important for students to find the best college fit and match for their needs. This website lets students sort college options by schools that are near them, type of degree, graduation rates and more. They can compare colleges they are considering before they make their decision so they can compare costs and outcomes to weigh which institution will serve them best.
Navigating Your Financial Future:
This website offers tools to help students build financial literacy. It also offers many free downloadable materials that your school can share with students about Bright Futures, career planning, FAFSA, financial aid and more.
Champions for Learning is the education foundation for Collier County. They offer step-by-step instructional videos on how to complete a FAFSA application and related financial aid information. The recorded video allows students to pause and advance the video to get the information they need as they move through the application.
Federal Student Aid information:
This website from the US Department of Education offers a wealth of resources on everything a student or parent would need in planning and pay for college. They also have a YouTube channel with lots of helpful videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/FederalStudentAid
Positive Pathways Florida – special support for students aging out of foster care:
Florida offers college tuition and fee waivers for students aging out of foster care through the Department of Children and Families. The Positive Pathways network features campus-based programs and liaisons on Florida campuses that specialize in providing comprehensive support for foster care alumni. They also provide regional points of contact who are committed to ensuring students are supported in pursuing a credential after high school. These regional contacts provide an extra layer of assistance to guide foster youth in accessing campus supports.
