More than 4,500 students from throughout Florida will gather April 28-29 in Pensacola for the 2014 Florida SkillsUSA State Competition and Worlds of Possibilities Career Expo.

Competitors will face off to showcase their technical talents and leadership abilities at the Florida SkillsUSA State Competition, which will be held in conjunction with the Worlds of Possibilities Career Expo, at Pensacola Bay Center. This will be the last year Pensacola will host the statewide competition. It will rotate to Lakeland, Fla. in 2015.

The Worlds of Possibilities Career Expo will introduce more than 1,500 middle school students from Escambia County, 1,200 high school students from Santa Rosa County, and more than 2,000 high school and college students from throughout Florida to different occupations available in the state. The expo features hands-on and interactive experiences in 11 “worlds” ranging from the "World of Energy” to the “World of Manufacturing,” which is new this year.  

Gulf Power Company is a major sponsor and will be participating in the "World of Energy" experience.

“Hosting this event here for the past three years has been a great way to engage area employers in showcasing the amazing careers available in our region’s economy,” said Jennifer Grove, Gulf Power’s Workforce Development coordinator. “This has also given us a chance as a community to celebrate the achievement of the SkillsUSA students who have gone above and beyond their required courses to develop their technical and leadership skills. These students are our state’s future workforce.” 

SkillsUSA has more than 300,000 members nationwide and serves as a partnership between students, teachers and industries working together to ensure the United States has a skilled workforce.

The event, which is estimated to have a $3.5 million economic impact on the local community, is being hosted by Pensacola State College and coordinated through Gulf Power, Greater Pensacola Chamber, Visit Pensacola, Career Source Escarosa, Escambia County, and Santa Rosa County and Escambia County school districts. 

Public Events:

• The public is invited to tour the Worlds of Possibilities Career Expo from 2 to 3 p.m. on Monday, April 28, at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola.
• Immediately following the Worlds of Possibilities tour, the third floor of the Pensacola Bay Center will be open to the public to participate in a job fair from 2 to 5 p.m., so participants are advised to dress for success and bring their résumés and portfolios. 
• In a related event, SkillsUSA also will cohost an Electrathon Race competition at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola on Saturday, April 26. Sanctioned by Electrathon America and sponsored by the Gulf Power Engineering Society, high school and college competitors from Florida will race electric vehicles through an endurance course to determine how far they can travel on electric batteries. 

To learn more about the event, visit worldsofpossibilities.com or contact Jennifer Ponson at 850-484-2245, or by email at jponson@pensacolastate.edu.

Gulf Power Company is an investor-owned electric utility with all of its common stock owned by Atlanta-based Southern Company. Gulf Power serves more than 436,000 customers in eight counties throughout Northwest Florida. The company’s mission is to safely provide exceptional customer value by delivering reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible electricity while strengthening our communities. Visit online at GulfPower.com or on the company’s Facebook page, “Gulf Power Company.”
 

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