After studying at Eastern Illinois University and transferring to Southeast Missouri State University to complete a bachelor of science in Business Administration, as well as spending nearly a decade in the mortgage loan processing industry, Erin Virgin chose another career path. “I was ready for a change. I wanted to work with my hands. I felt that electricity would be an interesting and challenging career,” said Erin.

Erin is a third-year electrician apprentice at the Electrical Training Alliance of Jacksonville (ETA). This apprenticeship program offers work-based learning on site with veteran electricians as well as trade-related classroom and online learning. The program allows students to earn while they learn about the craft--all without incurring any debt.

Electrical professionals are employed in many capacities such as telephone and computer infrastructure, audio-visual installation, and electrical facility maintenance. According to etajax.org, electrical professionals “install, provide and maintain the backbone of power and information system’s needs.”

In 2018, Erin applied for and was accepted into the ETA’s apprenticeship program. Currently, she is halfway through her third year of a five-year program. Erin is working on a new construction build for Baptist Hospital, helping to build a Newborn Intensive Care Unit and a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (NICU/PICU). A typical day involves reporting to the job site at 7 AM and working 10 hours per day. This overtime is essential in completing the project. Erin also attends school twice a week in the evening.

Juggling this hectic schedule has its rewards, however. Erin enjoys the format, stating, “I really enjoy working in the field while going to school. I can directly apply what I am learning in the classroom on the job. Being involved in new construction is rewarding to see the progress and know your work building a hospital for children will impact the community for years to come.”

Making this career pathway change meant that Erin took a more physically demanding job rather than working at her computer desk each day. After some adjustment time, however, she truly enjoys a more active workday. Ultimately, the apprenticeship has opened many doors she hadn’t previously considered and has offered the chance to try several different aspects of electrical work. The future is exciting, as Erin has considered getting into solar and installing chargers for electric vehicles.

“I would encourage anyone, especially women, to get into the trade. It is a lot of hard work. Working full time and going to school isn’t easy, but you will be on a path to an amazing career. Being an electrician has so many different aspects to it, and the work is always changing and evolving with technology. It’s exciting to think about where this will lead in the future!”

At the completion of the apprenticeship, graduates receive 30 credits toward an AS degree in Industrial Management Technology at Florida State College of Jacksonville. So, individuals wishing to pursue a degree can leverage these credits toward developing their career pathway.

Internships are an excellent way to learn valuable work experience about your industry. Some students are also able to translate the internship experience into being a full-time employee as Christopher Carter did at Forcura, a leading healthcare technology company headquartered in Jacksonville.

A graduate of the University of North Florida, Carter is an Associate Software Engineer at Forcura. Originally from Sarasota, Carter stayed in Jacksonville to begin his career after earning a bachelor’s degree in information systems and turning his short-term internship at Forcura into a rewarding full-time position.

“Everything I’m doing at Forcura is impacting someone’s daily life and making life more efficient,” Carter said.

Forcura’s platform enables safer patient care transitions and more effective coordination. It improves continuity of care via technology and analytics, and it is driven by the company’s deep commitment to enabling better patient care. Carter's focus is on the company’s core software and platform, with goals of maintaining optimimal functionality to improve and enhance the user’s everyday workflow.

“My contributions help make the information flow smoother,” Carter said. “I have the opportunity to be a part of the solution, which is very satisfying.”

Carter learned about internships at Forcura from a friend at UNF. At Forcura, attracting and retaining top talent through innovation and company culture is a high priority. The company has a successful internship program and has converted 70% of its interns to full-time employees since 2018. Carter is pleased to begin his career in Jacksonville.

Carter’s interest in technology developed as a middle school student. He enjoyed tinkering with computers and programming, and built his own computer as part of a school project. Carter knew he wanted to follow an educational and career path in technology. He earned an associate degree at the State College of Florida in Sarasota before transferring to UNF, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Information Systems.

Carter’s internship at Forcura revealed opportunities to share his technical background at a fast-paced company with a culture that thrives on collaboration and innovation. He says it was an invaluable experience that allowed him to begin developing his skills. Carter’s advice to other students is to work hard and take advantage of the opportunity for on-the-job training that an internship provides.

“It’s important to focus on the core concepts,” Carter said. “My internship provided the motivation to explore new ways of doing things, and it was very satisfying to work as part of a team.”

With remote learning required during his senior year due to the pandemic, Carter’s communication and interaction with industry professionals was limited. He was inspired by the Forcura internship because it offered the chance to network, receive feedback from colleagues and establish mentors. Carter wants to give back to UNF and would like to serve one day as a mentor to technology students.

“My internship was a critical step in my transition from school to my profession,” Carter said. “I want to make sure other students are getting the best learning experiences they can get before graduation.”

Kearra Street grew up in a military household, moving every four to five years. At age 10, Kearra moved to Okinawa Japan, where she pursued her middle and high school studies. After graduating from Kubaski High School, she moved to Florida to join her mom who had already relocated to the United States.

Kearra was determined to study Business Administration with a concentration in Communications in college. However, after speaking with an admissions counselor at Keiser University, her career pathways plans quickly changed. The counselor suggested that, because of her personality, she may wish to pursue a degree in Hospitality Management. Kearra then spoke with an instructor. After several days of additional consideration, she opted for Hospitality Management. Of this change, Kearra says, "It took me on a much better path--better suited to me. I've met so many wonderful people and have had great experiences."

At Keiser, Kearra further explored the hospitality industry via an internship at the Southbank Hotel Jacksonville Riverwalk. There, she was immersed in a new department each week. Unbeknownst to her, this experience would provide excellent cross-training for her future job. When her internship led to time spent in the Accounting Department, she was hooked. "I thought I would gravitate toward sales, but I love the numbers in accounting and seeing how all parts of the hotel work together."

Once her internship concluded, Kearra and a classmate chose to stay at the Southbank Hotel to work in the Banquet Department. She saw the innerworkings of back of the house operations and got to know many people individually. Then, a part-time opportunity opened in the Accounting Department which gradually led to a full-time position. Today, Kearra is an Accounts Payable Specialist.

Kearra graduated with an Associate of Science in Hospitality Management from Keiser University in 2018. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration with a Concentration in Hospitality Management.

Kearra emphasizes that working in a hotel involves much more than cleaning a room and providing a check in key. Being people-friendly, adaptable and impeccably organized is critical. Her specialty involves accounting and the ability to navigate the multiple internal computer systems used by the Southbank Hotel. Recalling where specific information is housed is also essential.

"I thought I was organized, but I found a better way to prioritize and track my work." One of her adaptations includes using a daily planner. As a result, month end reports due to corporate and pending vendor bills are all completed and processed timely. Kearra says, "It's important to find something you enjoy. You're crunching numbers but you're also maintaining relationships with vendors, colleagues and individuals at the corporate level."

Kearra's childhood experiences afforded her many opportunities to find home in the world. Now, she is centered in Jacksonville and has found another home in the hospitality industry. She notes, "My experiences with travel and being part of different cultures definitely helps me in my career today."

Sarah Mathis grew up in Virginia outside of Washington, D.C. A competitive and energetic person by nature, Sarah played a range of sports throughout her life from basketball and volleyball to softball and dance. Today, these same characteristics have driven her professional success.

After high school, Sarah moved to Florida to attend Flagler College and obtain a BS in Sport Management. She was thrilled to learn that a personal passion of hers translated into a degree program. At Flagler College, she studied sports management and promotion, sport finance and law, as well as facility and event management.

While in her junior year, Sarah began an internship with the Jacksonville Jaguars, one of only 32 National Football League franchises. She worked game days and enjoyed the camaraderie, spontaneity and challenge of the various tasks involved. Sarah was exposed to a variety of volunteer activities while in college, but this environment was a favorite.

As a college senior, Sarah took a semester long internship in the spring with the Washington Redskins, her original “home town” team. This resume-builder, combined with her previous Jaguars internship experience, positioned her to return to Jacksonville and seek full time employment with the Jaguars after graduating from Flagler College in April 2011. Although her first role with the team was still considered an internship, she “put in her time” which led to a position in the ticket office.

Since that time, Sarah’s career has prospered with the team and she is now the Jaguars Director of Fan Experience. She is responsible for ensuring all fans are prepared to come to the stadium, training staff on how to create a stellar game day experience, creating policy, and communicating with season ticket holders. Now in her 13th season with the Jaguars, Sarah emphasizes that there is no typical workday. Working at the stadium requires knowledge of multiple operational facets as well as who to go to for efficient answers.

“We wear many hats in the Fan Experience Department,” said Sarah. “Recently, that meant I helped roll out the field tarp on game day because of rain. Whatever it takes, we’ll do.” Sarah said.

The most rewarding aspect of her role is the relationships she creates, from internal staff to front-line team members to the fans. That fun, dynamic energy is what keeps her staff returning and fans excited about each new football season.

“You get out what you put in,” said Sarah. “I put my heart and soul into it. I perform at my highest level and stick out tough situations. It may not always be easy, but it will be worth it.”
Working in the Sports and Recreation pathway offers many options. Sarah emphasized that at the Jaguars there are roles in ticket operations and sales, marketing, finance, IT, corporate sponsorship, events, public relations, recruiting, as well as the legal team and the Jaguars Foundation.

For more information, check out: https://www.jaguars.com/careers.

Sean O’Neill is a third-year student at Florida State University, who is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology. As a graduate of the St. Johns County’s Creekside High School, Sean has taken advantage of multiple internship opportunities over recent years. These internships have all occurred in Jacksonville, at Fortune 500 companies such as Citibank and Deutsche Bank, along with local Jacksonville start-ups like OnDefend. These internships were focused on cybersecurity, one of the fastest growing fields globally, and helped Sean to learn valuable skills that can’t be taught in the classroom.

Internships are highly beneficial work-based learning opportunities. Sean is able to apply what he has learned in the classroom to real-world situations and gain hands on experience from seasoned industry professionals. These experiences have proven extremely valuable for Sean, who states, “With the training and experience I have gained through school and internships, I feel very confident in my skills and abilities as a cybersecurity professional and look forward to future opportunities throughout my career.”

Sean has proven himself to be a skilled contributor to the workforce, garnering praise from colleagues and industry experts. His LinkedIn profile features this quote from a former supervisor: “Sean worked as an intern for me over the summer. He showed true leadership skills, quickly grasped the cyber security skills to have a successful career in the future and was a true asset to the company even as an intern.” From the knowledge gained through his collegiate studies and internships, to the cybersecurity industry certifications and other independent training, he has generated a wealth of experience to prepare him for his future career as a cybersecurity professional within the financial services sector.

Entrepreneur Noah Emmons appreciates that fear of failure can play an important role in advancing your understanding and knowledge of information technology.

“Success is equal to failing less,” said Emmons, a software engineering consultant who discovered the Jacksonville region is a dynamic hub for technology development and employment.

“Technology is complicated, intimidating and daunting, and learning it can be scary,” Emmons said. “In time, you have a better understanding and become more comfortable with the unknown. I’m drawn to activities where you have to fail before you can advance.”

As a youth growing up in Fernandina Beach, Emmons enjoyed computer games and had an interest in knowing more about the people behind game development. At 12, he didn’t hesitate to reach out to more than 40 industry professionals via email. He made a connection with three.

“I formed friendships with people who eventually became mentors,” Emmons said. “It’s important to surround yourself with likeminded individuals who make you feel comfortable.”

A 2017 graduate of Fernandina Beach High School, Emmons discovered his passion for technology and software development in the Nassau County School District’s Java Programming and Application Development curriculum at the Lewis “Red” Bean Nassau Technical Career Center.

The Nassau County School District program, led by Director of Career Education Brent Lemond and instructor Kalvin Thompson, provides students with software development training using the latest technologies. The program’s advisory board includes local business partners, such as feature [23], Wells Fargo and CSX, who provide guidance on curriculum and assist with placement and other student opportunities.

As a student, Emmons demonstrated initiative and drive for learning advanced topics and applying them quickly. He also worked hard to expand his skillset beyond normal expectations. Those qualities help Emmons secure an internship at Jacksonville-based software developer feature [23], which led to a full-time software engineer position at the company.

As part of the feature [23] software engineering team, Emmons gained experience in a wide range of domains including distribution, logistics, trading, sales and more, and honed his skills with C#, SQL Server, Azure, React, Angular, and other domain-specific technologies.

“I worked on projects I enjoyed,” Emmons said. “It didn’t feel like I was working.”
After spending nearly five years with feature [23], Emmons recently stepped out on his own as a software engineering consultant. He offers a variety of services designed for both start-ups and established businesses including new product development.
“With all of the opportunities that are out there, going out on my own is the right next step for me,” Emmons said. “I find myself at my best when I am challenged to learn new domains, whether they are business or technical.”

Emmons has risen quickly in his career because he is curious, enthusiastic and has an insatiable desire to learn. He encourages others to find and pursue their passions.
“If you don’t have the initiative, work can be a grind,” Emmons said. “You owe it to yourself to make sure you’re happy and find the things that excite you.”