Bridging the Gap: Junior Achievement’s Role in Shaping Tennessee’s Workforce

Abstract

This mixed-methods study evaluates the impact of Junior Achievement (JA) programming in Tennessee on students’ financial literacy, durable employment skills, and career readiness. Based on the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, the research underscores JA’s effectiveness in preparing students across diverse geographic contexts for economic and career success. The study acknowledges the need for further disaggregated data, longitudinal tracking, and curricular embeddedness in schools. Findings also support JA’s alignment with statewide workforce development goals and recommend integrating state programming into core educational strategies across regions in the state to cultivate equitable, experiential learning that ultimately benefits the school-to-work pipeline.