President's Report
DECEMBER 2008 Distributed on January 7, 2009
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New Year's Message
Happy New Year! If you are anything like me, the
beginning of a new year is a time for tough self-evaluation and the creation of
life-altering resolutions. Once I've resolved to abandon those resolutions
-- it is time to get back to work. And that is exactly what we need to focus on
in 2009: Getting people back to work and keeping those gainfully employed
growing within their professions.
Governor Charlie Crist has made strengthening our state's
workforce a centerpiece of his agenda and as he noted in his own New Year's Day message,
"Florida is
blessed to have an innovative workforce that contributes to the economic development
of our state." The Governor's focus is rightfully on the people of the State of
Florida and
he is very clear that our state's competitive advantage within the global
economy must be our talent. That is our charge here at Workforce Florida and our top
priority. Whether you are a board member, workforce professional, or other
stakeholder, 2009 is your year to build Florida's
competitive advantage. |
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Special Session
Underway
Adding to the challenges we have before us this year are imminent
budget reductions from the 2009 Special Session being held in Tallahassee this week and next. While it is
true that most of Florida's
workforce system is federally funded, we do have state allocated funds that bolster
and support our efforts. The Agency for Workforce Innovation, led by Monesia
Brown, and the Florida Workforce Development Association, led by Bruce Ferguson, are both working diligently and in
concert with us to advocate on behalf of Florida's
workforce system. I am encouraged by this joint effort that budget reductions
during the Special Session will minimally impact the workforce system, which is
vital to our state's ability to respond to increasing needs for employment and
training, especially as unemployment continues to rise.
Collectively, we also are laying a strong foundation with the Governor's
Office, legislators and their staffs, as we head into the Regular Session in
March.
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Workforce & Economic Development
Governor Visits
Tallahassee One-Stop
Center
WORKFORCE plus CEO Kimberly
Moore provided a guided tour of the Tallahassee One-Stop
Center for Governor Crist
on December 22. While there, the Governor visited briefly with several people
searching and applying for jobs. Kimberly also has conducted similar tours for
staff members from the Governor's Office of Policy and Budget as well as several
House and Senate committees. Around the state, other Regional Workforce Boards
provide similar tours for policy and business leaders, which offer outstanding
opportunities to help not only tell the story of the workforce system, but to
show these leaders up close the work underway to support employment,
job retention and business growth.
Workforce Florida Signs Landmark Agreement
As many of you may have read, Workforce Florida recently signed an agreement with Gulf Coast
Community College, The
St. Joe Company and Gulf Power Company creating a model for collaboration to
address emerging training needs for new businesses and jobs in Northwest Florida. The Memorandum of Understanding targets workforce
development in the West
Bay area, the largest
mixed-use planned community in the state.
The agreement marks the first time Workforce Florida has joined with
education partners and companies to develop and implement a plan for responding
to emerging workforce needs spurred by a planned community and a major
infrastructure project. The 75,000-acre West Bay
area is home to the new Panama City-Bay County International Airport, which is
scheduled to open next year and serves as a catalyst for economic development
and job creation for the region and state.
Governor Crist had this to say about the memorandum, "Partnerships
like the one cemented today are key to building the world-class workforce that
will strengthen Florida's
economy for generations to come. This landmark agreement is a wonderful example
of state government and the private sector coming together to create new jobs
and exciting new opportunities for the Sunshine State."
I would like to thank Workforce
Florida Board member Jennifer Grove of Gulf Power Company and Andra Cornelius, Workforce Florida Vice President
for Business and Workforce Development Opportunities, for their work on this
agreement. I would also like to thank Jennifer and Board member Shayne Stewart
for joining us for the announcement, along with Kim
Bodine, Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Workforce Board,
Allan Bense, incoming Vice Chairman of Enterprise Florida, Inc., Al Wenstrand,
President of Florida's Great Northwest, and many other partners whose
contributions moving forward will be vital to the success of this initiative.
As has been noted by Workforce Florida Chairman Katherine Wilson: "The
memorandum represents a significant first step that will become even more
meaningful as we move into the implementation phase, along with the Regional
Workforce Boards directly impacted by development of the West Bay area and
other business, education, economic development and community partners."
To view the news conference announcing the agreement, please
go to the Workforce Florida Web site or click here.
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Staff Announcements
Comings and Goings
It's a bittersweet time at Workforce Florida as we say goodbye
to Jennilee Robins and Letha Paulhus, while welcoming Dehryl McCall to our staff. Letha has accepted a
position with one our state agency partners, the Department of Children and
Families, and we wish her well in her new role. Jennilee will retire in
January. Her vast knowledge of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
has been invaluable to not just our organization, but has benefited the entire
workforce system and most importantly Florida's
families, as we've carried out our mission to help welfare recipients
transition to self-sufficiency. I want to take this opportunity again to thank
Jennilee for her leadership and contributions to our organization in many
areas.
Meanwhile, I am pleased to introduce Dehryl. A 13-year
workforce veteran, Dehryl will serve as a program manager overseeing youth and
workforce readiness initiatives as part of the Workforce Readiness and
Performance team. He will also provide support across all workforce program
areas, with special emphasis on Trade Adjustment Act (TAA), Wagner-Peyser and
Workforce Investment Act (WIA). Dehryl joined Workforce Florida after six years at the Agency for
Workforce Innovation, where he was most recently a Senior Management Analyst
Supervisor.
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Key Dates
January
5-16: Special Session of the Florida Legislature.
January
20-22: Enterprise Florida Board and Stakeholders Council Meetings. Tallahassee
February
17-19: Workforce Florida Board of Directors' Meetings. Tallahassee
February 19:
Space Florida Board of Directors' Meetings. Tallahassee
March 3: Opening Day of the 2009 Regular Session of
the Florida
Legislature.
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Thank you for your commitment to creating a world-class workforce in Florida.
Sincerely,
Chris Hart IV
President/CEO Workforce Florida, Inc.
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Workforce Snapshot
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Available Workforce: Up 88,000
Unemployment Rate: 7.3%
Job Growth by Sector: Education and Health Services Up 40,400
Government Up 1,000
Source: Florida Labor Market Statistics Center (November 2008 data) |
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