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President's Report
SEPTEMBER 2008
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Workforce & Economic Development
Rising to the Challenge
These are tough economic times for Florida and our nation. A week ago we
learned our state's unemployment rate for August was 6.5 percent for the first
time since 1995. After years of leading the nation in job growth, Florida is among the
states experiencing some of the highest job losses. Home foreclosures. Low
consumer confidence. As I shared recently with a group of business leaders in Sarasota and Manatee
counties, we must confront these brutal facts as we respond to these challenges
and build toward a better future, taking our state -- to borrow from the lessons
of a Jim Collins' bestseller -- from "Good to Great."
Through technology and partnerships among workforce,
business, education, economic development, government, and community
organizations, Florida's
workforce system is rising to the challenge to meet growing needs for employment
and training services for businesses and Floridians seeking new or better jobs.
One key tool is the Employ Florida Marketplace where job
seekers -- entry-level to executive -- can search the more than 192,000 Florida jobs
currently listed online, create and post their resumes to catch the attention
of the employers registered on the site as well as access information to
connect to many of the other available workforce-system services and resources
including training assistance. More than 65,000 employers are currently registered
on the site, which averages 6 million hits daily. During a recent week, an unprecedented
number of site visitors -- nearly 550,000 -- accessed 11 million pages of content.
More than 740,000 people have posted their resumes since 1997.
The state's 24 regional workforce boards, which are the
backbone of the system delivering most of the services, are also developing
creative solutions that address their communities' unique needs to drive
available talent to existing and emerging job opportunities. Consider two recent
examples:
WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA is a key partner in the Community Venues Blueprint initiative in Orlando that is focused on
economic development opportunities through the construction of a new Events Center,
the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center and the renovation of the Citrus Bowl.
Working with the Orlando
mayor's office, the business community and myriad other community partners,
WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA opened a Blueprint employment office this month to
assist job seekers and businesses. Construction is just beginning for the first
of the three projects. Already about 2,000 people have expressed interest in
jobs that will be created by these projects and ten people have been hired. More than two dozen others have
found employment through WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA with other businesses in the region with immediate openings.
Meanwhile, Workforce Florida
recently joined WORKFORCE plus and the Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/Leon County, among others,
to launch BigBendHealth.com,
a one-stop portal for anyone looking to apply for any of the more than 400 health
care openings in several North Florida
counties or access career and training information. The Web site also provides
access to health care services, patient records and information, and serves as
a potential model for other regional collaborations to support the state's growing
health care sector or other targeted industry sectors.
Workforce Florida
also is working closely with the state's unemployment compensation system
to better integrate our technologies so that we may more quickly and effectively
link those who lose their jobs to employment opportunities that match their
skills. Through improved technology solutions, we can better redeploy
Floridians who have recent and relevant work experience, and by reducing the
cycle time for re-employment by an average of one week per person receiving
unemployment compensation, it's estimated we can reduce the state's
unemployment costs by more than $90 million annually.
Even as we weather this economic downturn, these are
exciting and crucial times for Workforce Florida
and our workforce system and many other partners such as the Florida Chamber of
Commerce, Florida Economic Development Council, Florida Council of 100, Enterprise Florida and
Space Florida.
Our collaboration and commitment to creating strategies and solutions that
build on what we aspire to be Florida's
most competitive asset -- world-class talent -- remains firm and continues to grow.
Boosting Workers' Skills in Rural Florida
Workforce Florida
has awarded its first two grants under the Quick Response Training (QRT) Rural Utility Project.
The project was created by the Business and Workforce Development Opportunities
Division of our organization to upgrade the skills of newly hired and/or
currently employed workers in utility and related companies in rural
communities. In the first project grant to one of Florida's three Rural Areas of Critical
Economic Concern (RACEC), Heartland Workforce has been awarded nearly $500,000
to train 157 people across 15 companies in energy and water occupations.
Training will include photovoltaic design and installation, sustainable homes
design and water/wastewater operation, among other areas. Zachry Industrial in Citrus County
has been awarded a $95,000 grant for customized training for 228 workers in
welding, electrical and construction to respond to workforce needs associated
with Progress Energy's planned, new Crystal
River nuclear power plant.
The QRT utility project supports our state's priorities for building a better
skilled workforce in Florida's
energy, alternative energy and water sectors.
Workforce Florida
and Space Florida
Ink Formal Agreement
Codifying our partnership,
Workforce Florida and Space Florida have signed a memorandum of understanding outlining our
joint efforts to address aerospace workforce needs through existing initiatives
and the creation of new strategies. The agreement also charges Workforce Florida to provide, as
part of its annual report to the Governor and Legislature, recommendations for
policies, funding and initiatives to address the needs of this vital sector.
Inaugural Accelerate
Florida Think
Tank to Focus on Workforce
Governor Crist recently announced
his Accelerate Florida: Extending Florida's Economic Horizons economic stimulus plan. As part
of Governor Crist's plan to enhance Florida's
business-friendly environment, the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic
Development is inviting leaders throughout Florida to participate in several Think Tanks
that will explore ways government can encourage entrepreneurialism and
innovation. The first Think Tank will be held Oct. 1 and will focus on workforce.
Banner Center
Stakeholders and Partners Invited to Plan Business Model Enhancement
Workforce Florida will
convene a dynamic cross-section of Employ
Florida Banner
Center stakeholders and
partners to participate in an Oct. 28-29 retreat dedicated to bolstering the
business model for this initiative. With assistance from the Florida Institute of
Government at the University
of South Florida, the
retreat's participants will develop and refine a customer-value proposition, enhanced
advisory board governance, brand marketing and a communication method for
sharing best practices.
As this initiative moves into its third year, Workforce Florida's leadership
also will create a strategy for sustainability using a revenue-generating
business model and expanding the statewide impact of our 11 Banner Centers.
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Governance
New Appointments Workforce Florida Chairman Katherine Wilson has announced her appointments to the Board's Councils and Committees. Council Chairs· Business Competitiveness - Dwayne Ingram · Finance & Administration - Eric Robinson · Strategy - Belinda Keiser · Workforce Readiness & Performance - Randy Johnson Committee Chairs· Executive - Katherine Wilson · Entrepreneurial & Small Business - Jay Rosario · Finance - Doug Mead · Growth Market - George Hauer · Legislative - Mark Wilson · New Market Opportunities - Randy Berridge · Performance - Doug Gugliuzza · Sustainability/Infrastructure - Lila Jaber · Technology - Andy Perez · Workforce Readiness - Eric Kennedy · Youth Opportunities - Buddy Streit For a complete list of appointments, go to Workforce Florida's Web site.
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Planning & Policy
Florida Ready to Work Pilot Prepared to Implement
Workforce Florida has reached agreement on the Ready to Work pilot program for business outreach, job profiling and credentialing of job-seeker readiness. Workforce Florida Board Member Don Gugliuzza, Senior Manager of Organization Development for Tropicana Products, was instrumental in convening leaders from manufacturing, education and business to vet the proposed strategy. Workforce Florida will work through eight regions to conduct this year's pilot program, and will partner with the University of North Florida to accelerate statewide efforts to help employers identify the skills and skill levels needed for specific occupations.
Weigh in on Talent Cultivation and Economic Development
The Career and Professional Education (CAPE) Act ensures that education, industry, workforce, and economic development partners, in every community, are collaborating to create new, meaningful opportunities to provide students with the cutting-edge training and certifications they need for high-skill, high-wage jobs in Florida's key industry sectors.
The CAPE Act represents a paradigm shift in career education in our state with industry playing a directly influential role in secondary education that will help us develop a stronger pipeline of entry-level talent for high-value industries.
Workforce Florida, in collaboration with the Florida Department of Education and the Agency for Workforce Innovation, annually approves and publishes the state's Comprehensive Industry Certification List. This list is used by school districts in planning and designing programs that support their regional economies. Additions to the list are considered for occupations that either are in demand or tied to emerging industries, or meet certain other criteria. Submissions and guidelines for requesting additions to the state's 2009-2010 Comprehensive Industry Certification List are now being accepted through October 15, 2008. |
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Telling the Workforce Story
One of the most rewarding aspects of the work we do here at Workforce Florida is sharing the story of how our workforce system is transforming lives through training and career opportunities and strengthening the state's business climate. Periodically, in this report, I'll share with you some of the groups we're taking Florida's message to.
I was honored this month to deliver the keynote address for the Suncoast Workforce Board's 2008 Annual Meeting. Workforce Florida Board Member Jennifer Grove, Workforce Development Coordinator for Gulf Power, and Vice President of Business and Workforce Development Opportunities Andra Cornelius, CEcD, addressed the Florida Chamber of Commerce's Energy Solutions Coalition on meeting Florida's growing energy needs. Meanwhile, Workforce Florida Vice President of Workforce Readiness and Performance Steve Urquhart co-presented on the Employ Florida Marketplace and technology solutions during the National Association of State Workforce Agencies' annual meeting.
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Key Dates
Oct. 6-7: Florida Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Future of Florida Forum. Orlando
Oct. 6-8: Center for Energy Workforce Development National Summit 2008. Orlando
Oct. 14: Florida Economic Development Council Board of Directors' Meeting. St. Petersburg
Oct. 14-16: Enterprise Florida Board of Directors' and Stakeholder Council Meetings. St. Petersburg
Oct. 19-22: International Economic Development Council 2008 Annual Conference. The Employ Florida Banner Centers initiative is a nominee for an Excellence in Economic Development Award
Nov. 18-20: Workforce Florida Board of Directors' Meetings. DoubleTree Hotel, Tallahassee |
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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
Available Workforce:
Up 161,000
Unemployment Rate:
6.5 %
Most Job Growth:
By Metro
Gainesville
1,600 new jobs
Orlando
1,400 new jobs
By Sector
Education and
Health Services
Up 37,400
Leisure and
Hospitality
Up 14,500
Government
Up 10,700
Source: Florida Labor Market Statistics Center
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Key Dates
Oct. 6-7: Florida Chamber Annual Meeting and Future of Florida Forum
Oct. 6-8: CEWD National Summit 2008
Oct. 14: FEDC Board of Directors' Meeting
Oct. 14-16: EFI Board of Directors' and Stakeholder Council Meetings
Oct. 19-22: IEDC 2008 Annual Conference
Nov. 18-20: WFI Board of Directors' Meetings |
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