As employment anxieties swirl with layoffs hitting technology companies, hundreds of high school seniors gathered in East Tampa this week and met with companies including Publix, TECO, BayCare and more. Some walked away with jobs.

At the Future Career Academy, students participated in the culmination of a year-long career readiness program and sat in sessions about life skills and how to up their pay once they’re in a job.

They asked employers what it was like to work for their companies.

“A lot of times kids don’t know what’s out there and available,” said Stephanie Smith, a vice president of TECO. “What this program does is bring real life immediate opportunities. Not everyone’s going to go to a four-year university, maybe even not even a two-year. Maybe they go to a trade school. Some may go straight to work.”

Companies, Smith said, have a role to play, in helping young people find their next steps.

“Our country depends on showing up for them, making sure they know what’s possible,” she said.

Maliyah Ballard, an 18-year-old who graduated from Tampa Bay Tech High School last year, spoke to this year’s students about how the program helped her.

She played golf and softball until her senior year, when she sustained a major arm injury while playing softball.

“I’m like, well, I’m not playing softball so I don’t know where I’m going or what I’m going to do,”

Through the program, she started looking into what she could do. She’s now finished a five-month training program and is a licensed emergency medical technician and plans to seek further education to become a paramedic.

Marcus Hames, an Armwood High School senior, asked representatives from the sheriff’s office if working there was like the show “The Rookie.”

Mahmoud Almsaaid, also a senior at Armwood High School, said he hopes to work in cybersecurity and enjoyed getting to ask employers questions.

“Sometimes it’s hard to make a decision,” he said. “I feel like you’re worried if you take a wrong decision, and you don’t know if it’s a right decision or wrong decision.”

Courtney Shackelford, a workforce program coordinator at Armwood, said giving high school students the confidence to enter the workforce is a big part of finding employment.

“They don’t have to think. ‘Oh, it’s just a drive thru at a fast food (restaurant),’” she said. “There’s some good jobs out there that they can walk into with a high school diploma. “

Future Career Academy will hold five other hiring events across the county this month.

Contact Divya Kumar at dkumar@tampabay.com. Follow @divyadivyadivya.