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Walt Disney World Resort

#FeelGoodFriday: Disney Spreads Magic to Local Students in Workforce Development Programs

Tajiana Ancora-Brown

by , Director of External Affairs, Walt Disney World Resort

With magic being made by more than 74,000 cast members in more than 3,000 different job classifications, Walt Disney World is not only an incredible place to work, but also the perfect place to learn! Our expert cast members have skillsets ranging from technology and animal care to agriculture and hospitality—all of which work in harmony to bring unforgettable experiences to our guests every day.  

And some of these talented cast members recently shared their career knowledge and passion with local students who are interested in pursuing careers in the same fields. Our construction management and hydroponics teams opened the doors to their worlds to give students from two local nonprofits—Habitat for Humanity and Center for Independent Living—a behind the scenes look at their careers. Both organizations offer youth workforce training and development programs and were recently celebrated as the latest nonprofits to be #GrantedByDisney with a combined $175,000 investment.

To celebrate Habitat for Humanity’s $100,000 Disney Grant, students from their Youth Construction Academy joined Walt Disney Imagineering for behind-the-scenes construction visits to Disney’s brand new transportation system, the Disney Skyliner, and our latest luxury resort in-the-making, Disney’s Riviera Resort, which will celebrate the grandeur of Europe and open to Guests later this year. The Youth Construction Academy provides hands-on, experiential construction learning opportunities to high school students, all while they help to build affordable housing units for their community and earn industry certificates to jump-start their careers.

Students from the Center for Independent Living’s High School, High Tech program were also invited to an exclusive learning opportunity with expert cast here at Walt Disney World. They joined the Behind the Seeds tour at Epcot, which invites Guests to explore the future of agriculture and get up-close and personal with The Land Pavilion. Using their $75,000 Disney Grant, students from the organization’s High School, High Tech program will be focusing their upcoming lessons on hydroponics, which made the cast members at Behind the Seeds the perfect tour guides as they shared their mutual passion for plant science and studied the many plants that call Epcot home.

And that’s a wrap! All nine of our 2019 Disney Grant recipients have been #GrantedByDisney with a total of $800,000 going toward community programs ranging from workforce development for students to assisted therapy for veterans and individuals with special needs. We’re eager to seethe meaningful impacts these organizations will continue to bring to the Central Florida community!