NEW YORK, Jan. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and Junior Achievement USA (JA) today announced Accenture has awarded Junior Achievement with a grant of US$1.1 million to develop a new work readiness program that will enable high school students across the United States to gain the skills necessary to secure employment and build a successful long-term career. During its first year of implementation, the program is expected to reach approximately 85,000 students.

The award, which consists of cash as well as the time and skills of Accenture employees, reflects Accenture's corporate citizenship initiative, Skills to Succeed, which will equip 250,000 people around the world by 2015 with the skills to get a job or build a business. The new curriculum will combine career exploration and work readiness skills through hands on, interactive program activities including a new technology platform to more effectively reach students in both the classroom and remotely.

"Students who participate in this program will gain vital career and life skills, including problem solving, critical thinking and conflict management," said Michael Scimo, North American human capital and diversity lead, Accenture.  "We share Junior Achievement's commitment to educating young people and giving them the skills to connect to the workforce in a meaningful way."

"As our country looks for ways to drive economic growth, ensuring that our young people are well-prepared to succeed in the workforce becomes increasingly important," said Jack E. Kosakowski, Junior Achievement USA's president and chief executive officer. "We look forward to providing this new curriculum to students, and are grateful for Accenture's support."

About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with approximately 259,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world's most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. Through its Skills to Succeed corporate citizenship focus, Accenture is committed to equipping 250,000 people around the world by 2015 with the skills to get a job or build a business. The company generated net revenues of US$27.9 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2012.

About Junior Achievement USA® (JA)
Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches 4.2 million students per year in more than 120 markets across the United States, with an additional 6.5 million students served by operations in 119 other countries worldwide. Visit www.ja.org for more information.

SOURCE Junior Achievement