|
President's Report
AUGUST 2009
Distributed September 2, 2009 | |
|
Governance
Governor Crist, Lt. Governor Kottkamp Engage in Workforce Florida Strategy Conversation
With an emphasis on the strategic plan that will guide the workforce system's next five years, Workforce Florida was honored and delighted to have both Governor Charlie Crist and Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp join us during the quarterly Board of Directors meetings.
From left to right: Curtis Austin, Governor Crist, Belinda Keiser and Chris Hart IV
I would again like to thank Governor Crist for hosting the August 12 Board reception at the Governor's Mansion. I also want to express our gratitude to the evening's sponsor, the Florida Chamber Foundation. It truly was a special evening filled with excitement. The Governor used the occasion to recognize the committed work of the state workforce system to help Floridians get back to work and to highlight how vital talent is to Florida's economic resurgence. We also are grateful to Lt. Governor Kottkamp who joined us for the reception and returned the following morning to help launch our strategic planning process, Creating the Strategy for Today's Needs and Tomorrow's Talent.
Lt. Governor Kottkamp focused his remarks on the vision he and the Governor have for strengthening Florida's economy and the critical work ahead to fortify Florida's Talent Supply Chain. He also reiterated their support for the important work getting underway to create a new, five-year State Strategic Plan for Workforce Development. Using the aerospace industry as an example, the Lt. Governor, who is chairman of Space Florida, underscored the innovation that is taking place in Florida and holds the promise for elevating our state as a global leader in talent and business.
Workforce Florida Launches Strategic Planning
Talent is the centerpiece of Florida's competiveness, our individual and community wealth and our innovation economy. As indicated by the title of our strategic planning process, Creating the Strategy for Today's Needs and Tomorrow's Talent, Workforce Florida is working with the dual focus of getting Floridians back to work while confronting the long-term structural changes taking place in how businesses seek out talent.
Board Chair Belinda Keiser, Vice Chancellor of Community Relations for Keiser University, has challenged the Strategy Council, which is commissioned to lead this effort, to ensure transparency. To guide the strategic planning work, the Board has approved a Statement of Intent and 14 Guiding Principles.
Meanwhile the Strategy Council has begun the heavy-lifting of developing the new state strategic plan. Led by Chair David Armstrong, President of Broward College, the council is engaged in work right now to reach out to experts, ask tough questions, ensure transparency and frame recommendations by mid-November. The next session of the Strategy Council is September 2 in Orlando.
Partnership remains critical to our efforts and among the first group sought to help frame our work was the Partners Council, which includes leaders from the 24 Regional Workforce Boards and the Agency for Workforce Innovation. We are committed also to reaching out to business, education, economic development and other partners and stakeholders during this process to help develop the strategic plan.
For me, this work is personal because it will influence the future for Florida families, including my own. We are committed to delivering a plan consistent with Florida's economic development priorities that will contribute to our collective efforts to sustain and grow economic opportunities for the people and businesses of our state. To play an active role in our work and to follow new developments, please visit the section of Workforce Florida's Web site dedicated to our strategic plan, Creating the Strategy for Today's Needs and Tomorrow's Talent. |
|
Federal Stimulus Update
Incumbent Worker Training Grant Provides Skills Boost for Construction Workers
I am proud to report yet another example of Florida's workforce system putting American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) dollars to work to support the state's talent development needs -- in this instance, through a stimulus-funded Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) grant. Workforce Florida recently awarded more than $336,000 to the U.S. Safety Consortium, a statewide network of construction companies and suppliers, to provide safety training to more than 1,200 Florida construction workers with residential and light commercial skills looking to add infrastructure-project experience to their resume.
IWT grants -- a main component of Workforce Florida's talent-development toolkit -- have provided funds to support customized training for almost 93,000 employees of nearly 900 businesses throughout Florida since the program began in 1999. This year, IWT received an additional $2 million in ARRA funds, making $4 million available to Florida businesses in the current fiscal year. The ARRA encourages consortia to apply for funds set aside for IWT and gives priority to companies that need to train workers to avoid immediate layoffs.
The U.S. Safety Consortium will use its IWT grant to facilitate training that will enable Florida construction workers who wish to safely transition from residential and light commercial construction sites to infrastructure sites -- which often present greater challenges such as using larger equipment and working at increased heights, sometimes over water and near busy roadways -- to upgrade their professional skills. |
|
Workforce & Economic Development
Florida among Youth Policy Leaders Chosen to Contribute to Youth Workforce Readiness Initiative
Florida was one of only fives states, including Maine, Ohio, New York and Tennessee, invited recently to "Ready by 21, Credentialed by 26 Summit: An Invitational Convening for State Youth Policy Makers" held in Washington, D.C. Summit goals included understanding state efforts and success in college and workforce readiness; building the case for increased attention to the post-secondary population using a collaborative approach to support vulnerable students; tying economic viability, poverty eradication and brain-gain interests of states to broader access and success in post-secondary education for all youth; and determining the key policy levers that states can use to impact post-secondary education success.
Workforce Florida Program Manager Dehryl McCall had the opportunity to share many of the innovative strategies and best practices that have made our state a leader in youth workforce opportunities. Among them is Strengthening Youth Partnerships -- a working group of public and private agencies in Florida founded in part by Workforce Florida with a focus on ensuring that every young person in Florida is ready and able to pursue a meaningful job path. Dehryl also will report back to the Florida Youth and Children's Cabinet information he obtained at the summit that may further Florida's youth-related workforce goals.
The Ready by 21 Challenge -- funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation -- works in partnership with government, education and nonprofits to help to facilitate youth work readiness by age 21. Additionally, the initiative this year added "Ready by 26" to its theme in support of ensuring all youth complete some form of post-secondary credential by age 26.
Influence Talent Development Opportunities Available to Florida Students
The Career and Professional Education (CAPE) Act -- sponsored in 2007 by Sen. Don Gaetz with the intent of improving Florida's ability to attract and retain targeted, high-value industries and to develop a knowledge-based economy -- 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 target industries that help to diversify the state economy.
The CAPE Act represents a paradigm shift in career education in our state with industry playing a direct 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 2010 - 2011 Comprehensive Industry Certification List are now being accepted through October 31. |
|
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 share with you some of the groups we're taking Florida's message to.
Recently I had an opportunity to speak with the Education, Economic & Workforce Development Council of Associated Industries of Florida and give an overview of Workforce Florida-led initiatives and our organization's focus on Florida's talent supply. Meanwhile, Andra Cornelius, CEcD, Workforce Florida's Vice President of Business and Workforce Development Opportunities, was the keynote speaker for the Center for Energy Workforce Development's National Forum, addressing strengthening ties among the energy industry, workforce and education. She also recently presented to the Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce, focusing on Workforce Florida's current initiatives and leveraged partnerships in support of training and retraining talent to respond to the needs of Florida businesses. |
Key Dates
Sept. 2: Workforce Florida Strategy Council Rudder Team
Meeting. Orlando.
Sept. 16: Workforce Florida Strategy Council Rudder Team
Meeting. Orlando.
Sept. 17: Space Florida Special One-topic Board of Directors
Meeting. By teleconference.
Sept. 22: Space Florida Special Board of
Directors Meeting. Orlando.
Sept. 30: Workforce Florida Strategy Council
Rudder Team Meeting. TBD.
Oct. 12-14: Florida
Chamber of Commerce's Future of Florida
Forum. Orlando.
Nov. 3-5: Workforce Florida Board of Directors Meetings.
TBD.
Nov. 17-19: Enterprise
Florida Board of
Directors Meetings. Orlando.
| |
|
Thank you for your commitment to creating a world-class workforce in Florida.
Sincerely,
Chris Hart IV
President/CEO
Workforce Florida, Inc.
|
|
|
|
Workforce Snapshot
|
Florida's
Workforce:
9,193,000
Unemployment Rate:
10.7%
Job Growth:
Private Education and Health Services
Up 5,400*
*Education/Health Services is the only
sector among Florida's
major industries currently gaining jobs.
Source: Florida Labor Market Statistics Center (July 2009 data) |
|
|
|
