Success is in Session — Celebrating
30 years of the Universal Education Center
For about 600 Team Members, both current and former, their story began in a classroom, just steps away from Universal Studios Florida (USF) and Islands of Adventure (IOA).
As students at the Universal Education Center (UEC), they had the opportunity to complete their education while gaining on-the-job training as part-time Team Members. Each year, up to 40 high school juniors and seniors can participate in the program, a partnership with Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) that provides an alternative education program for students to earn their diplomas.
It’s easy to reminisce when we’re talking about major milestones, and this year marks a big one for the UEC: 30 years of transforming the lives of high school students. UEC graduates have gone on to pursue amazing careers, many of them right here where it all started, at Universal Orlando.
Jerico Rivera, who is been a proud Chef Assistant at IOA and an alumnus of the UEC Class of 2019, is one such Team Member looking back on his UEC experience with a heart full of gratitude.
Prior to enrolling in the UEC, Jerico says he didn’t feel like the traditional school setting was working for him — his grades were suffering and he felt lost on what he wanted to do. “I had the worst attendance rate,” he says.
However, when he came to the UEC, he joined a much smaller class, with more individualized attention from teachers. It wasn’t long before the change in setting led to a transformational change in mindset. He says he felt immediately seen and invested in, and it made all the difference.
“It’s almost like the learning plans were designed for me,” Jerico says. “It became me wanting to go to school and wanting to learn. It made me understand what I do now affects what happens later.”
Getting to learn and work with a view of roller coasters outside the window was a pretty awesome bonus, too. “Explaining to your friends that you’ve got go to work right after school is a very different feeling here,” he laughs. “It’s the coolest thing I’ve ever been a part of.”
He started serving as a Line Cook at IOAsis (a Team Member Dining location in North Campus) in 2018 and continued there after graduation. His hard work and prowess in the kitchen later earned him the title of Senior Cook at Confisco Grille, at IOA. Then this past February, he was promoted once again and became a Chef Assistant at different venues in IOA.
Looking back, Jerico deeply appreciates his counselors at the UEC, who helped him find a calling for cooking and a home among the culinary team. “They’re able to treat you as an individual, and they give you the feeling of worthiness.” Jerico loves what he does and says his time at the UEC gave him the confidence to create his own recipe for success.
Even though it’s been five years since Jerico graduated with an impressive 3.8 GPA, he says he still feels the support to this day. “Those relationships I built while I was in school helped me become the amazing worker I am today,” Jerico says. “The UEC put me on the right path to where I wanted to be.”
Congratulations, Jerico! We can’t wait to see you continue to craft your career at Universal Orlando Resort.