Immokalee Foundation Alumni Enter the Workforce with a Competitive Edge

By Noemi Y. Perez
President and CEO
The Immokalee Foundation

For generations, earning a college degree was seen as the surest path to a stable career. But today, even college graduates are facing an uncertain job market, with unemployment among new grads reaching its highest point in decades.

For Immokalee Foundation students, the story looks different. By the time these dedicated young men and women graduate, they aren’t just hoping for opportunity; they’re prepared to seize it.

The Immokalee Foundation is the region’s first and only organization providing a full continuum of support beginning with literacy intervention in elementary school and continuing through career exploration, immersion, and postsecondary education, leading to long-term career success. Immokalee Foundation students enter the workforce with a competitive edge.

Our award-winning Career Pathways Program is the underlying principle that drives our full array of after-school programs and services, empowering students for career success.

We adopted a research-based, data-driven approach to identify well-paying job categories in high demand that lead to professional careers in Southwest Florida. Pathways include Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Education & Human Services, Engineering & Construction Management, and Healthcare.

By creating a career model that prepares students for careers within these in-demand fields, we increase their chances of being hired while helping meet the region’s growing workforce demands.

Education & Human Services Pathway student Lucero is taking full advantage of a variety of Immokalee Foundation Career Building services.

The Immokalee Foundation’s Career Exploration phase begins in middle school, providing students a head start on their future through robust programming, including career panels, field trips, STEM camp, workshops, and other hands-on activities.

By the time the students we support complete eighth grade, they have completed a thorough Career Action Plan that lays the groundwork for their Career Immersion journey in high school.

High school students are paired with volunteer mentors who provide support twice per month, often building relationships that extend beyond graduation and into their careers.

These extraordinary mentor relationships not only help foster greater self-confidence, well-being, and academic achievement but they also contribute to long-term career success.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the nation’s largest youth mentoring network, released a research study spanning 30 years stating that “mentored youth experienced a 15% increase in earnings between ages 20 and 25, and by age 65 earned $56,000 more than their non-mentored peers. Additionally, the findings suggest that the mentoring program may help mitigate persistently low rates of intergenerational socioeconomic mobility, revealing that the intervention can reduce up to two-thirds of the long-term socioeconomic disadvantage associated with poverty in childhood.”

By the time Immokalee Foundation students graduate high school, 100% have earned an industry certification and completed a paid internship, gaining invaluable real-world experience working alongside employers, mentors, and industry experts. These opportunities strengthen their resumes while helping them build meaningful connections with local businesses.

Before starting their internship, each student earns a Fundamentals of Workforce Readiness Certification from FGCU, which provides them with basic principles to help them excel in the workplace from day one.

Other soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, are “must-haves” in a world reshaped by technology and AI—all are part of the Foundation’s ongoing curriculum.

When meeting an Immokalee Foundation student, you are greeted with a firm handshake, confident eye contact, and a genuine smile. These small gestures reflect a larger foundation of character and a deep appreciation for a community that supported their dreams and their inevitable Career Success.

About The Immokalee Foundation

The Immokalee Foundation provides new pathways to success and financial independence through robust programming that prepares students for well-paying, in-demand professional careers.

For over 33 years, The Immokalee Foundation has been preparing the next generation of leaders through a 100% focus on education, career readiness, and professional development for students in Immokalee—from kindergarten through postsecondary education.

To learn more about The Immokalee Foundation, become a mentor, host an intern, volunteer as a career panel speaker or host, donate, or include the Foundation in your will, please call 239-430-9122 or visit immokaleefoundation.orgimmokaleefoundation.org