Second Level Programmes

Junior Achievement Ireland recruits, vets, trains and supports volunteers from business to facilitate in-classroom programmes covering themes such as employability, financial literacy, STEM subjects and entrepreneurship. JA programmes are designed to complement the formal curriculum - these touchpoints are summarised in this document.

JA Inspires

JA volunteers have an important story to tell. Through this once-off 40–60-minute workshop, second level students learn from business volunteers about their career and educational paths – inspiring students to see themselves in similar careers and to understand the skill they acquire at school are transferable to the workplace. The workshop is split under 4 main themes: Employability, Financial Literacy, Entrepreneurship and STEAM. JA Inspires is delivered in partnership with the Metlife Foundation.

Entrepreneurship

Employability

Financial Literacy

Develop scientific literacy for students so that they are confident and competent when faced with science in their everyday lives.
Aims to enable them to appreciate the skills and knowledge of science.

Provides students with a learning foundation for a wide range of careers in business, marketing, law, enterprise and management.

Help the students to develop an awareness of their personal strengths and interests in relation to the world of work
Distinguish different types of work and employment
Demonstrate an understanding of what people gain from working

Futurewize

Futurewize is a three module STEAM skills workshop which links the strands of the junior cycle science curriculum: Earth and Space, Chemical World, Physical World and Biological World, to varied careers and ﬁelds of study in STEAM through practical hands-on activities. Futurewize was developed with the support of Science Foundation Ireland and takes place over 2.5 hours.

STEM

Employability

Strand: Earth and space
- Students develop a sense of the structure of the universe and some organising principles of astronomy; students explore relationships between many kinds of astronomical objects and evidence for the history of the universe.
Strand: Physical world
- Students research sustainability issues that arise from modern physics and technologies, and our generation and consumption of electricity.
Strand: Chemical world
- Students learn to communicate their understandings using representations, and the symbols and conventions of chemistry.
Strand: Biological world
- Students explore body systems and how they interact, and learn about human health.

Economics for Success

The Economics for Success programme introduces students to work and career readiness concepts along with financial literacy to help plan their future. Students will develop workreadiness skills through the lens of their own interests, skills, and values. Through interactive sessions, students will start career planning, develop a personal brand and understand the importance of budgeting for their future. This programme is delivered in partnership with Accenture.

Statement of Learning (SOL) 14:

The student makes informed financial decisions and develops good consumer skills.

o Students will manage their financial resources, understanding the benefits to shop wisely and ethically, while evaluating financial risks.

Personal Finance focuses on students developing a set of skills, knowledge and values that allows them to make informed decisions to effectively and responsibly manage their financial resources. #

o Managing My Resources : Throughout the programme, students will explore all aspects within this strand. Students will review personal resources; understand wants and needs; identify sources of income and expenditure; and create a personal budget.

• SOL: Makes informed financial decisions and develops good consumer skills
• Strand 2: Responsible Family Living: Students explore lifeskills including decisin-making and financial literacy through career setting and budgeting.
• Element 3L Sustainable and Responsible Living: Developing students’ self-efficacy, critical reflection and discernment in the choice and use of resources in the home; in technological change; in environmental issues and the impact of these onresource management in the home and in personal consumption for everyday living.

• Strand 1.3: Self-management:
• Identify short, medium and long-term personal goals and ways they might be achieved.
• Apply decision-making skills in a variety of situations.

Number Strand 2:
• solve money-related problems.

Gen E

The GEN E programme was developed to complement and enhance the TY enterprise curriculum, particularly the mini company project. In this Citi supported programme, students partake in Design Thinking, Project Management, Marketing, and Communication workshops with a business volunteer.

Entrepreneurship

Employability

To give students a general picture and an understanding ofeconomic activities, patterns and principles.
To develop in students the capacity to apply these principles and to help them transfer this knowledge to new situations, and to achieve critical thought.
To develop in all our students an interest in everyday economics and to aid them in their education for citizenship.

To develop an understanding of the structures, institutions, processes and management of business.
To enable students to make informed business decisions.
To enable students to use established commercial principles and knowledge, to critically evaluate commercial information, and to offer solutions to given commercial problems.
To promote a positive awareness of cultural and social diversity in international business.
To enable students to understand and appreciate ethics in business

Career Success

In partnership with Accenture, JA’s employability programme integrates the Accenture Skills to Succeed Academy (S2S), a digital platform for use by senior cycle second level students. Effective Communication, Teamwork, Personal Brand, and Interview Skills are the focus of the programme. Students practice and develop these skills as the JA business volunteer demonstrates their relevance to school, to work, and to life.

Financial Literacy

Employability

Enables Leaving Certificate Applied students develop and apply good communication skills.
Provides opportunities for students to learn and practise skills in interpersonal communication

Aims to develop important workplace skills such as planning, communication and teamwork
Help the students to develop an awareness of their personal strengths and interests in relation to the world of work
The student will be able to prepare properly for an interview; participate in a mock interview for a particular job

To develop an understanding of the structures, institutions, processes and management of business.
To enable students to make informed business decisions.
To enable students to use established commercial principles and knowledge, to critically evaluate commercial information, and to offer solutions to given commercial problems.
To promote a positive awareness of cultural and social diversity in international business.
To enable students to understand and appreciate ethics in business.

To give students a general picture and an understanding of economic activities, patterns and principles.
To develop in students the capacity to apply these principles and to help them transfer this knowledge to new situations, and to achieve critical thought.
To develop in all our students an interest in everyday economics and to aid them in their education for citizenship.

Finance Your Future

This financial literacy programme explores earning potential, balancing personal budgets, future planning, risk and insurance. By practicing these skills, students come to realise the importance and impact of their education on their future. Finance Your Future is delivered in partnership with Zurich.

Financial Literacy

Employability

Examine some of the real and immediate issues involved in living independently.
Acquire knowledge of the various ways of organising managing one’s own finances and expenditure.
Develop skills of budgeting, saving and borrowing.
Understanding Insurance

In a problem-solving environment it is recognised that there are three things learners need to do: make sense of the problem, make sense of the mathematics they can learn and use when doing the problem, arrive at a correct solution to the problem.

To give students a general picture and an understanding of economic activities, patterns and principles.
To develop in students the capacity to apply these principles and to help them transfer this knowledge to new situations, and to achieve critical thought.
To develop in all our students an interest in everyday economics and to aid them in their education for citizenship.

To develop an understanding of the structures, institutions, processes and management of business.
To enable students to make informed business decisions.
To enable students to use established commercial principles and knowledge, to critically evaluate commercial information, and to offer solutions to given commercial problems.
To promote a positive awareness of cultural and social diversity in international business.
To enable students to understand and appreciate ethics in business.