Leon Works Fall Preview Connects Students with Fastest Growing Industries in the Capital Region

Leon County Government, the Office of Economic Vitality, the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, and Leon County Schools collaborated to host the Leon Works Fall Preview: a city-wide virtual youth career expo on September 23, 2021, for 7th and 8th graders and September 30, 2021, for 11th and 12th graders.

“Our community thrives when students are successful in their chosen careers,” said Leon County Commission Chairman Rick Minor. “Through this year’s virtual program, we have been able to safely engage 5,000 students in career discovery and education.” 

During the Leon Works Fall Preview, middle and high school students learned about the amazing diversity of career opportunities in Tallahassee-Leon County from over 50 local business leaders with success stories and engaged with employers to discover the career that best fits them.  

"The Leon Works Fall Preview directly connected Leon County students with over 50 local business leaders, providing a road map to success for students with diverse interests," said Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna. "I know this experience will be valuable to our middle and high school students as they prepare to enter the workforce." 

The Fall Preview, a virtual extension of the Leon Works Expo typically held in the Spring, represented several industry sectors, including trade, health services, construction, manufacturing, and business services which, according to the Office of Economic Vitality, are projected to create the most jobs in the Capital Region between 2020 and 2028.  

“Now in its seventh year, the County’s Leon Works program has shown thousands of students and job seekers new career paths in high-wage, much-needed fields,” said Leon County Administrator Vincent S. Long. “By 2026 our community will have 70,000 skilled job openings, and this OEV-led effort helps creatively close that gap.” 

The Leon Works Fall Preview was an overwhelming success, engaging more than 5,000 middle and high school students from across the region. 

“We’re thrilled to be in the seventh year of this event to ensure that our local students and future workforce know about the many growing career fields available in Tallahassee-Leon County,” Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality Director Cristina Paredes said. “This creates a great opportunity for the next generation of talent to interact with our local employers and learn more about these in-demand careers.” 

The virtual event utilized TalentHub, an online career platform launched by the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, which allows businesses to post current job openings and visitors to view jobs available in the area, explore careers, build a resume, and learn about local companies. 

“Today’s middle and high school students are our future workforce, said Corrie Melton, Vice President, Membership & Talent Development. “Leon Works Fall Preview on the Tallahassee Chamber’s TalentHub is a great opportunity for students to explore a variety of careers that interest them and interact with local leaders in these positions.” 

For more information on the Leon Works Fall Preview and to view the Fall Preview speakers, visit https://cms.leoncountyfl.gov/leonworksexpo/Preview.  

About the Tallahassee - Leon County Office of Economic Vitality (OEV) 

When you are looking to grow, relocate or start your business in Florida’s capital city, the Office of Economic Vitality is your front door to business resources. OEV can guide you in a variety of ways: site location, talent solutions, financial assistance, for instance. To foster a strong business climate, the Office of Economic Vitality provides data, resources and support to site selectors, state partners, and business leaders in the community alike. We serve as the connector between state economic development, workforce development and business. 

About the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce 

With 1,200+ members representing nearly 70,000 employees, the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce is the voice of the business community. Through our strategic priorities and community partnerships, the Chamber works to create a diverse and strong economy where businesses succeed, and the community prospers.