Tallahassee, FL, May 7, 2023 – WFSU Public Media is one of 10 public media stations selected nationwide to create career-focused digital videos to help connect young people with potential careers as part of the next chapter of the American Graduate public media initiative – American Graduate: Jobs Explained. Led by The WNET Group and funded by a $3.2 million grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), American Graduate: Jobs Explained focuses on digital content developed by, with, and for youth. The project aims to share content on social media platforms to help young people stay inspired, commit to continued education and training, and explore potential careers.
After the economic upheaval caused by the pandemic and the Great Resignation, educational institutions and American employers alike are considering how to best prepare the next generation of students for careers. Through American Graduate: Jobs Explained, public media stations will work with local youth to produce social media videos on careers in specific industries. WFSU Public Media will be producing videos about the healthcare industry and they will be available on Instagram @Healthcarejobs_explained including #JobsExplained and tailored hashtags.
WFSU Public Media is working with CareerSource Capital Region, CareerSource Florida, Capital Health Plan, Lively Technical College, Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, Tallahassee Community College Healthcare Professions, Keiser University, ASPIRE Capital Region, HCA Healthcare, and LMichelle Savant Media to ensure high-demand jobs in healthcare are featured in the video-based project.
“This two-year project is building on WFSU’s long-standing commitment to connecting youth to career pathways, work that we began with our first American Graduate grant in 2011,” says Kim Kelling, Director of Content & Community Partnerships. “We couldn’t do this work without the incredible support of our community partners.”
The WNET Group, which is leading the national American Graduate: Jobs Explained effort, worked with CPB to select and collaborate with the 10 stations. Each will create original digital videos about in-demand, lucrative and civic-minded careers in industries like manufacturing, healthcare, green transformation, trades, information technology, and hospitality. The goal is to not only improve the economy but also build stronger, informed, and more civic-minded communities. The full list of stations, along with their career-focused industry, are:
- WFSU – Tallahassee, FL – @HealthcareJobs_Explained
- OETA – Oklahoma City, OK – @AerospaceJobs_Explained
- WCNY – Syracuse, NY – @IndustrialJobs_Explained
- Maine Public – Lewiston, ME – @GreenJobs_Explained
- Idaho PTV – Boise, ID – @ConstructJobs_Explained
- Ideastream Public Media – Cleveland, OH – @ShippingJobs_Explained
- WHUT – Washington, DC – @TravelJobs_Explained
- Detroit Public Television – Wixom, MI – @TechJobs_Explained
- Alaska Public Media – Anchorage, AK – @TransportJobs_Explained
- WQED – Pittsburgh, PA – @CyberJobs_Explained
“CPB’s support of the American Graduate initiative helped to increase the high school graduation rate, and now our support of American Graduate: Jobs Explained will help young people discover and prepare for meaningful jobs and careers,” said Patricia Harrison, President and CEO of CPB. “American Graduate: Jobs Explained will connect with students through social media to highlight career paths in their communities.”
The WNET Group will curate and manage the national American Graduate: Jobs Explained social media accounts, produce a professional development series, and assemble National Business Advisory and National Youth Advisory meetings, among other activities. American Graduate: Jobs Explained will also have a project website, providing a central hub for information about the work, as well as resources for young job seekers. Station partners will convene local business advisory and youth advisory groups and lead in-person or virtual community events, such as educator workshops or job training.
Press Contacts:
Kim Kelling, WFSU Public Media, kkelling@fsu.edu
Rachel Hollander, The WNET Group, HollanderR@wnet.org
Press materials: wnet.org/pressroom
https://news.wfsu.org/tags/wfsu-press
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About WFSU Public Media
WFSU Public Media provides quality public broadcasting services to the north Florida and South Georgia areas. WFSU Public Media is both an NPR and PBS member station, with TV and FM housed near Innovation Park. In Panama City, WFSU Public Media is known as WFSG-TV and WFSU-FM. WFSU Public Media also provides extensive educational services through our PBS Ready To Learn grant. WFSU Public Media is licensed through Florida State University.
For more information, visit wfsu.org, follow us on Twitter @WFSUmedia, or Facebook @WFSUPublicMedia.
About CPB The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private, nonprofit corporation authorized by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television, and related online services. For more information, visit cpb.org, follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe for other updates.