Pictured: Students at Manatee High School recently participated in the Manatee Chamber's Big Bank Theory program designed to strengthen their financial literacy. Photo courtesy of Manatee Chamber of Commerce.

Each year, the Manatee Chamber’s leadership seeks to better understand the opportunities business owners can seize in order to grow and the challenges they need to navigate. Through surveys, small group discussion, and large forums, we hear from hundreds of employers annually. What has remained consistent is that the majority identify workforce as both their greatest need and most valuable asset. As a result, education and workforce development are a top priority for our Chamber.

The talent pipeline needs local students at every level to have exposure to a diverse range of career ladders. They also need connections to local employers to gain real world knowledge, skills, and experience. The Manatee Chamber helps “prime the pump” for our regional talent pipeline through several initiatives.

The Chamber’s Big Bank Theory program is designed to equip high school seniors with essential financial literacy skills as they prepare for life after graduation. Through a hands-on, real-life financial simulation, students gain an understanding of the responsibilities that come with managing personal finances as an adult.

Often described as a real-world version of the “Game of Life”, the experience challenges students to manage a monthly budget based on a randomly assigned career and life scenario. As they move through the simulation, they visit stations representing common expenses such as housing, transportation, food, clothing, insurance, childcare, and more. At each stop, they must make thoughtful spending decisions while working to stay within their assigned budget. The result is an eye-opening experience that helps students better understand the importance of planning, prioritizing needs over wants, and living within their means. It also helps solidify the connection between post-secondary attainment and earning opportunities.

This school year, the Chamber is presenting this program at ten Manatee County high schools thanks to hundreds of business volunteers and retirees. The Big Bank Theory is more than a simulation. It is an investment in the future of our community, helping students build confidence and skills that will serve them for years to come, including in their future workplaces.

We also believe that helping students gain exposure to careers early in life can inspire our future workforce. The Manatee Chamber has connected local business leaders with the next generation through Project T.E.A.C.H. (Teach Everyone About Career Horizons) for more than 30 years. In March, more than 160 local volunteers will step into fourth-grade classrooms across Manatee County, reaching thousands of students in a single morning with a powerful message about opportunity and possibility.

Project T.E.A.C.H. is a hands-on career exploration experience designed to expand students’ awareness of the many professions available right here in our region. Through an engaging guessing game, students learn about first impressions, soft skills, and professional communication. Volunteers then share their real-life career journeys, including the training, education, military service, college, and technical education paths that shaped their success. The session concludes with students creating business cards for their dream job, encouraging them to envision their future careers.

From nurses and engineers to entrepreneurs and IT experts, students are inspired to dream big and imagine building their futures here. By connecting classrooms and businesses, Project T.E.A.C.H. strengthens community ties and supports long-term workforce development.

A new program being introduced by the Manatee Chamber in 2026 is a day of industry tours for 10th graders. Our pilot cohort of students from Bayshore High School will spend a day off-campus this coming Monday. They will tour local businesses/industries and visit Manatee Technical College to learn more about educational tracks that can lead to successful career paths with employers here in our region. A few weeks later, we will place students from the University of South Florida’s Sarasota-Manatee campus in job shadow opportunities at more than a dozen local businesses.

The results of all of these initiatives are meaningful student engagement and a growing talent pipeline fueled by career awareness. If you would like your business to engage with the Manatee Chamber on these programs, please reach out to Deborah Perry at DeborahP@ManateeChamber.com. The more connections our students make, the more likely they are to stay here to build successful careers – and businesses will find the qualified workforce they need to grow.

Jacki Dezelski, IOM is the President and CEO of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.

Pictured: Students at Manatee High School recently participated in the Manatee Chamber's Big Bank Theory program designed to strengthen their financial literacy. Photo courtesy of Manatee Chamber of Commerce.