BIRMINGHAM – The Alabama Community College System (ACCS) is among the state entities to partner with the new Junior Achievement McWane Economic Education Center in downtown Birmingham.
Unveiled at a ribbon cutting on Thursday, the state-of-the-art, 30,000-foot facility is designed to teach sixth and eighth-grade students about real-world skills through simulations and hands-on activities, preparing them for success before graduating high school.
The ACCS features a pair of spaces within the $18 million project – one each in the BizTown and Finance Park.
“We were approached by Junior Achievement to come in and partner with this facility, and we couldn’t be more excited. It gives us the opportunity to put forth the importance of education and training in the students’ lives as they are going about and trying to navigate what career they want to choose, how to achieve that, and how they budget for their education and life,” said Alan Bates, Executive Director of External Affairs for the ACCS. “It’s a unique and cool experience for us to come in and engage students at an early age and hopefully resonate the importance of education for the rest of their lives.”
In the BizTown section, students will have the opportunity to “attend” the ACCS and learn about the education and training opportunities available through Alabama’s community colleges. Students will experience how earning a certificate, workforce training credential, or degree through the ACCS can help them advance in their career and increase their earning potential.
In Finance Park, students are given a real-world financial scenario and must build a monthly budget while balancing everyday expenses, helping them understand the value of education, workforce training, financial literacy, and long-term career planning.
The center is available to middle school students within a 100-mile radius, including those in Jefferson County who are already exposed to higher education through Alabama’s community colleges like Jefferson State and Lawson State.
“This center means a lot for Lawson State. We service Birmingham City and Jefferson County Schools, so using this facility to remain engaged with our K-12 partners is very important,” said Dorian Waluyn, Lawson State’s Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives and External Relations. “Early career exposure is important. We want students to be exposed early to different career opportunities and pathways. It’s a natural fit for us to be engaged with the ACCS through this partnership. We love it.”
The center is located at 581 22nd Street North in Birmingham.