About 40 Sarasota/Bradenton high schoolers are spending their summer in a classroom for the CareerSource Career Academy.
"They learn leadership, decision making, career exploration," said program director Chris Laney.
The first week is classroom based, then during the following weeks the students will head to about a dozen job sites to see what they would like to learn more about.
"Engineering, mechanical stuff, I find that very interesting," said student Sidney Austin.
Austin just graduated from Booker High School. He's hoping to find a career in audio engineering.
Laney said they picked students who had barriers to find good employment.
"Those could be pregnancy, low income, foster care," said Laney.
Laney said the goal is for the students to form a long term bond with the employer.
"If a student can meet a leader in these organizations and ask them questions and perhaps that relationship will continue on long term," said Laney.
Click here for more information on this program.