On Wednesday, December 3, more than 35 Broward County Public Schools career planning advisors visited the Fort Lauderdale headquarters of Chen Moore and Associates (CMA), one of Florida’s top-ranked civil engineering firms, for an immersive BRACE Day experience aimed at strengthening Broward’s future talent pipeline.

Hosted in partnership with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, the event marked the latest installment of BRACE Day, a first-of-its-kind workforce development initiative that takes Broward Advisors for Continuing Education (BRACE) out of their schools and into local companies to directly explore high-wage, in-demand career pathways.

Throughout the day, advisors toured CMA’s offices and engaged with engineers specializing in civil, electrical, environmental, and construction engineering, as well as water and irrigation planning. The visit highlighted the essential role engineering professionals play in maintaining Broward’s infrastructure, ensuring safety, resilience, sustainability, and continued economic strength.

Advisors also learned about CMA’s award-winning projects, including its leadership on the fast-tracked engineering design for the City of Fort Lauderdale’s $65 million Redundant Main Force Line emergency design-build project, one of the most ambitious directional drilling undertakings ever completed in a downtown setting.

The BRACE Program, a cornerstone of Broward County Public Schools’ career guidance efforts, equips students with the tools and information needed to plan for careers offering strong earning potential. Across Broward’s 41 public high schools, BRACE Advisors help students understand the education and training required for a wide range of high-wage opportunities—whether through two-year or four-year degrees, industry-recognized certifications, or specialized vocational programs.

BRACE Days, held three times per year, immerse advisors in real workplaces, offering firsthand exposure to the industries that are driving Broward’s economy and workforce needs.

In addition to the engineering-focused portion of the program, attendees participated in a one-hour cybersecurity panel featuring local industry leaders:

• Rory Sanchez, CEO, Forthright Technology Partners
• Lenny Chesal, Chief Evangelist, IM Critical
• John Riley III, Chief of Emerging Tech, Impactify

The discussion underscored the rapidly growing demand for cybersecurity professionals in Broward County and highlighted the diverse, high-wage opportunities available to students in the region’s expanding tech sector.

About the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance is Broward County’s official public-private partnership for economic development.  Its mission is to lead Broward County in building a stronger and more diverse economy by stimulating the creation of new jobs and capital investment while facilitating the growth and retention of businesses in Broward County.  Services offered by the Alliance include assistance with business relocation or expansion and site selection; incentive programs and information; market research; and serving as a liaison for workforce development between CareerSource Broward, educational institutions, and the business community, through programs such as CareerTrek, TechGateway, BRACE Days, and more.  The Alliance and its partners, from 2016 to 2025, helped companies create or retain more than 22,850 direct jobs that are estimated to generate through direct, indirect, and induced effects, total employment of more than 44,000 jobs, $1.7 billion in annual personal income, and $8.4 billion in annual economic impact in Broward County, according to an independent study by the South Florida Regional Planning Council. To learn more, visit www.gflalliance.org or call (954) 524-3113.

About BRACE (Broward Advisors for Continuing Education)

Broward County Public Schools’ BRACE Program (Broward Advisors for Continuing Education) helps high school students discover high-wage local career path opportunities and offers guidance and tools for entering the workforce with strong earning potential. BRACE Advisors work alongside high school guidance counselors to assist students in planning their future career paths after high school graduation,