July 6, 2017

Jerry Sanders and 14 other speakers joined approximately 300 students and parents at Roosevelt Middle School on This pilot program is in response to a statistic highlighted in the Chamber’s Regional Jobs Strategy: San Diego County is home to an estimated 43,000 “opportunity youth.” These young people are no longer in school and don’t have a job. In that way, they are disconnected from society and, in large propensity, end up on high-levels of public subsidy, in the criminal justice system and not in the workforce supporting our economy. The Chamber partnered with the San Diego Workforce Partnership and the San Diego Unified School District to host this Career Day as part of a larger effort to bring awareness of career opportunities to students before they hit 16 years of age, and to help spark an interest in staying connected. Moving forward, Chamber staff will meet with partners to discuss the success of the pilot program and the potential of expanding the program for future years.