Georgia STEM Day: Randstad US and Junior Achievement to Show Middle Schoolers How to "Assemble Your Career"

Staffing and HR leader commits $50,000 to fund four Junior Achievement programs offering high-tech, high-demand job information

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Randstad US

May 06, 2016, 11:36 ET

ATLANTA, May 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, in celebration of Georgia STEM Day, Randstad US, one of the largest staffing and HR services companies in the United States, will team with Junior Achievement (JA) of Georgia to show Freedom Middle School students the benefits of pursuing high-growth careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Randstad employees, including several executives, will participate in the JA Finance Park program during which students will utilize the "JA Assembling Your Career" app to arm themselves with information about the STEM careers that interest them most, and the various pathways they can take to pursue a STEM career after college.

"We're a proud supporter of Junior Achievement of Georgia, as their work is critical to helping raise awareness of exciting STEM-related careers," said Phyllis Finley, EVP, Diversity & Inclusion, Randstad North America. "As one of the nation's largest staffing organizations, we hear from clients all the time about underrepresented STEM fields and the need to close these gaps. These programs give us a hands-on opportunity to show students the opportunities available to them, further supporting our mission to shape the world of work."

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows employment in occupations related to STEM is projected to grow to more than 9 million between 2012 and 2022, an increase of about 1 million jobs over 2012 employment levels. As a global staffing leader, Randstad sees firsthand the critical demand for STEM skills and is committed to helping educate students on these important careers.

As such, Randstad has awarded JA of Georgia $50,000 to support a variety of events, including the JA-MBA at Banneker High School, JA Chick-fil-A Foundation Discovery Center and JA Discovery Center at Gwinnett. All programs aim to provide young people with a mix of STEM-related career information and hands-on experiences to show what their future can be should they pursue a career in one of the related fields.

"It is important that those of us who enjoy rewarding STEM careers share our experiences with students so they see firsthand some of the wonderful opportunities available to them," said Alan Stukalsky, CIO, Randstad North America. "One of my favorite ways to do that is through our work with Junior Achievement, with whom we can debunk the myths associated with STEM careers and highlight the vitality and earnings potential of these cutting-edge jobs."

Georgia STEM Day is a day for schools, educators, students and companies to celebrate, raise awareness and engage in activities involving science, technology, engineering and math. It is a TAG Education Collaborative (TAG-Ed) program designed to increase awareness of the importance of STEM education for the future economic well-being of Georgia.

About Randstad US
Randstad US is a wholly owned subsidiary of Randstad Holding nv, a $24.5 billion global provider of HR services. As one of the largest staffing organizations in the United States, Randstad provides temporary, temporary-to-hire and permanent placement services each week to over 100,000 people through its network of more than 900 branches and client-dedicated locations.

Employing 5,300 recruiting experts, the company is a top provider of outsourcing, staffing, consulting and workforce solutions within the areas of engineering, finance and accounting, healthcare, human resources, IT, legal, life sciences, manufacturing and logistics, office and administration and sales and marketing. Learn more at www.randstadusa.com and access Randstad's panoramic U.S. thought leadership knowledge center through its Workforce360 site that offers valuable insight into the latest economic indicators and HR trends shaping the world of work.

About Junior Achievement of Georgia
Junior Achievement (JA) of Georgia is dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make educated academic and economic choices. JA learning solutions are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences to students from kindergarten through high school. JA of Georgia offers multiple programs, including in-class programs, JA Academy/JA-MBA, JA BizTown, JA Day, JA Fellows and JA Finance Park, all of which focus on entrepreneurship, personal financial literacy and workforce readiness. During the 2014/2015 school year, JA of Georgia served 168,000 students statewide. JA of Georgia headquarters is in Atlanta with regional offices in Columbus, Dalton, Gainesville and Savannah. For more information, visit georgia.ja.org.