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President's Report
July/August 2010
Issued September 8, 2010 |
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A Decade of Excellence: Transforming Florida's Future During our recent Workforce Florida Board of Directors quarterly meeting, we took time out to recognize and thank the workforce partners -- Workforce Florida, the Agency for Workforce Innovation and the state's 24 Regional Workforce Boards -- that have collectively helped to make our system a national model for innovation and success during the past decade. Even as we celebrated and reflected on some of the many accomplishments of our system since the Florida Workforce Innovation Act of 2000, we also maintained our focus on today's needs and those of the future as we continue through collaboration to create economic opportunities for Florida's businesses and citizens. Our first decade of achievements reflect the vision, innovation and action of the dedicated leaders and workforce professionals -- state and local, past and present -- who are committed to ensuring Florida is both a national and global talent leader. Among our success highlights are:- Using collaborative partnerships to foster career entry and advancement opportunities for Floridians through training in in-demand occupations as well as key sectors with the potential to pay good wages and promote economic growth and diversity.
- Successful deployment of results-oriented training initiatives such as Quick Response Training (QRT) and Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) grants that boost trainees' income (by as much as 23 percent for IWT trainees and 116 percent for QRT trainees).
- Launching the Employ Florida Marketplace, a single point of entry to talent, career, education and workforce resources for job seekers and businesses. Since its launch in 2005, more than 4 million jobs have been listed on EmployFlorida.com. More than 30,000 visitors use the site daily to search for jobs, screen applicant resumes and research the latest labor market statistics -- all at no charge.
These achievements, among many others, illustrate some of the ways our state's workforce system has served more than 11.7 million customers, helped to place more than 3.6 million people in jobs, trained nearly 306,000 individuals and provided more than 5 million services to nearly 169,000 employers during the last 10 years. To be sure, one of the highlights of the quarterly meeting was the Workforce Florida Day proclamation by Governor Charlie Crist recognizing the contributions of Workforce Florida, both our volunteer board members and staff, as well as our workforce system partners. Florida's Regional Workforce Boards, which are charged with the local delivery of workforce services to individuals and businesses, are the backbone of Florida's demand-driven workforce system. We also appreciate the many workforce services professionals within the Agency for Workforce Innovation, led by Director Cynthia Lorenzo, who contribute daily to our important work. As a Floridian and leader who was involved 10 years ago in the creation of our current workforce development system, it is with great pride that I reflect on the achievements thus far, but I also know that great challenges remain before us to ensure a brighter future for Florida for today's generation as well as those to come. Workforce Florida Receives U.S. Department of Labor Accolade, Gains Perspective from Recent Research
Workforce Florida, along with our entire state workforce system, is often recognized as a trailblazer, so it didn't escape my notice during the August Board of Directors meeting when our special invited guest from the U.S. Department of Labor remarked that our Board's request to have him present the findings of the recent Florida Comprehensive Review by a federal review team represented the first such request ever made by a state during his lengthy career. We were fortunate to have Lloyd "Pete" Fleming, Director of the Office of State Systems in the Employment and Training Administrations Atlanta Regional Office, join us to present Highlights from Florida's Comprehensive Review. The thorough annual review, which included interviews with Workforce Florida staff and Board members as well as data review and evaluation of Workforce Florida, the Agency for Workforce Innovation and several Regional Workforce Boards, again concluded that Florida has one of, if not the best, workforce systems in America. Among the highlights cited by the U.S. Department of Labor: - Engagement and leadership by our statewide board of volunteer leaders is exceptional, along with our collaborative partnerships.
- Effective and current policy guidance is provided for Regional Workforce Boards.
- Investment of state set-aside funding is both innovative and effective.
Among some of the more specific performance findings, the review revealed that Florida's workforce system ranks No. 4 in the nation for helping the adults it serves find employment and No. 1 in the nation for the number of adults who retain employment and the wages they earn after six months on the job. We were honored also to be joined by Dr. Susan MacManus, who presented the results of the Fourth Annual Sunshine State Survey, a comprehensive, timely assessment of Floridians' opinions on critical issues facing Florida. Dr. MacManus is a Professor of Public Administration and Political Science at the University of South Florida. Among other things, the survey reflects polling of Floridians on issues ranging from job creation and quality of life to growth management, taxation and education. |
Collaboration and Partnership
University of Central Florida and Two Area Companies Open Doors to Workforce Florida for an Up-Close Look at Modeling, Simulation and Training
Another exciting first for Workforce Florida in August was the outstanding field experience opportunity planned for the Board and staff. In an effort to better understand first-hand how Workforce Florida Board actions affect high-value, emerging areas of importance, the Board embarked on its first field experience, with a University of Central Florida-hosted panel discussion of top business and industry and economic leaders, followed by a tour of AVT Technologies and Scientific Applications International Corporation (SAIC).
The panel discussion centered on why Modeling, Simulation and Training is valuable to Florida's economy, critical workforce skills needed to sustain and grow this high-value area and how its success will help to bolster and diversify Florida's economy. I would again like to thank our moderator, Thomas L. Baptiste, of the National Center for Simulation, along with the distinguished panel and guests: Dale Bennett, Lockheed Martin Corporation; Ray Gilley, formerly with the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission and past Workforce Florida Board Chairman; Capt. Steven Nakagawa, Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division; Capt. William "Bill" Reuter, Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division; Beverly Seay, SAIC; Randall Shumaker, Institute for Simulation and Training; and Waymon Armstrong, Engineering & Computer Simulation (ECS).
I would also like to thank the University of Central Florida and, particularly, Ed Schons and Dan Holsenbeck for their hospitality as well as Robert Abascal and Jim Siebold of AVT and Ms. Seay and SAIC for the tours and demonstrations. The field experience was followed by a Board reception, and I also would like to again thank our generous sponsors who supported this event, which allowed us to recognize a decade of success by our system: Keiser University, Chinook Construction and the University of Central Florida.
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Strategic Plan Update
Workforce Dashboard to Provide At-a-Glance Strategic Plan Accountability, Measurement
Over the past year, we have moved through the stages of
developing and implementing the state's five-year strategic plan for workforce
development, Creating the Strategy for Today's Needs and Tomorrow's Talent.
We know that, in order for this plan -- which outlines six strategic goals and
39 achievements -- to become a reality in only five years, aligned our
priorities must be aligned with our investment and we must assess our progress
and performance toward these goals. In response, we are nearing the finishing
stages of creating the Workforce Dashboard which will provide an unprecedented
view for our organization of progress to goals and measure as well as inform
our work ahead. Workforce Florida's Board of Directors recently got a preview
of the Dashboard and learned how it will provide them ready-access to project
progress and empower staff with the ability to identify barriers to success and
to be accountable for their collective and personal roles in driving toward our
goals.
I'm proud that we have gotten off to such a strong start in several
areas, and that the first iteration of the Dashboard -- which reflects our 14
operational projects -- already reflects progress made in areas such as
developing Florida's Talent Supply Chain Team as well as strengthening our
state's focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and improving
Digital Access. |
Technology
Microsoft® Elevate America a Success in Florida
I'm happy to report that Floridians received more than 36,000 vouchers for no-cost technology skills training and low-cost certification exams available through our recently concluded joint initiative Microsoft® Elevate America. The initiative, led by the Workforce Readiness and Performance Council and its Technology Committee, under the leadership of Eric Kennedy and Andy Perez respectively, represents another successful collaborative effort by the entire workforce system. I would like to offer a special thank you to all of the leaders and staff members of the Regional Workforce Boards, the Agency for Workforce Innovation and our own team here at Workforce Florida who supported this initiative. I would also like to again thank Microsoft for their partnership.
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Workforce and Economic Development
STEMflorida Holds First Annual Conference
STEMflorida recently held its first-ever statewide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Business and Education Conference with a goal of convening state STEM stakeholders to address the need for improved and more aligned STEM education efforts in Florida. Held in conjunction with the Florida Association of School Administrators' annual meeting, the conference consisted of sessions addressing STEM issues from business, economic development and education perspectives. The conference also provided attendees a forum to exchange best practices, leverage collective resources and increase coordination among talent-development delivery systems throughout the state.
STEMflorida is a business-led initiative guided by a Business Steering Council comprised of leaders in business, economic-development, education and government. Funded by a grant from Workforce Florida, its goal is to unify and strengthen STEM resources available to Florida students and bolster the STEM talent pool available to businesses in industries with the potential to grow and diversify our economy.
Workforce Florida Executive to Serve as Florida Economic Development Council Vice Chair
Workforce Florida Vice President of Business and Workforce Development Opportunities Andra Cornelius, CEcD, recently was appointed Vice Chair of the Florida Economic Development Council. A member of the Council since 2006, Andra has provided exceptional leadership in ensuring our system addresses the workforce needs of Floridians and businesses while advancing economic priorities -- local, regional and state. The Florida Economic Development Council has been an excellent collaborative partner and I want to express my sincere appreciation to the Council, and to Andra, for their hard work and dedication on behalf of our state.
Aerospace Workforce Ad-Hoc Committee Gets Underway
In January, Workforce Florida's Board of Directors created, through a joint effort with Space Florida, an Aerospace Workforce Ad-Hoc Committee, to direct state workforce investment in response to the retirement of the shuttle program and plans to grow the state's transitioning aerospace industry.
Co-chaired by Space Florida Board Member Dr. Ken Ford and Workforce Florida Board Member Al Stimac, the Committee has held two teleconferences in the last two months and received a presentation on Aerospace Workforce Transition Activities to date in Brevard County from Lisa Rice, President of Brevard Workforce. Among discussion topics have been the recent report released by the Presidential Task Force on Space Industry Workforce and Economic Development. A Memorandum of Understanding between Workforce Florida and Space Florida currently is being drafted to cover the near- and long-term objectives of the Committee. Among other things, the Committee aims to guide the investment of the $3.2 million appropriated by the 2010 Florida Legislature; better understand how the $15 million United States Department of Labor National Emergency Grant will be deployed to assist impacted aerospace workers; and explore the use of distance-learning for innovative continuing education programs between states and countries that will enhance our existing aerospace workforce.
Workforce Florida Awaits Healthcare Grant Decision
Workforce Florida, in conjunction with the Florida Department of Health, recently submitted a $150,000 grant application to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Service Administration. If awarded, the grant would facilitate gathering and analyzing state labor market information to create healthcare career pathways for students, adults and dislocated workers. An announcement on whether we will receive the grant is expected by September 30.
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Accolade
Business Facilities Ranks Florida's Quick Response Training Program Among the Nation's Best
We recently learned that Florida is ranked No. 4 in the nation for its Quick Response Training (QRT) Program by Business Facilities' new ranking of state workforce training programs.Business Facilities is a national publication for executives responsible for expansion, relocation and consolidation decisions.
Business Facilities noted that the employer-driven training program has provided customized training for more than 100,000 employees of over 300 businesses throughout the state, "jump-starting new ventures and easing the way for expansions."
Administered by Workforce Florida, QRT provides grant funding for customized training to new or expanding businesses. Since 1993, QRT grants have been awarded to Florida companies to support their need for customized skills training for newly created jobs. The business decides not only what training it needs, but also who delivers it to employees. QRT currently receives $3.3 million in state funding annually.
For every $1 of public funding invested in training supported by QRT, Florida businesses invest about $13 to upgrade their employees' skills. With a strong track record for low administrative overhead and a lack of red-tape requirements, QRT is a key contributor to Florida's reputation among businesses, site selection consultants, economic developers and others for having among the best workforce training programs in the nation.
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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 | Florida's
Workforce:
9,214,000
Unemployment Rate:
11.5%
Job Growth:
Total Government
Up 8,800
Professional and Business Services Up 8,000
Trade, Transportation and Utilities
Up 5,100
Other Services
Up 5,400
Private Education and Health Services
Up 36,700
Source: Florida Labor Market Statistics Center (July 2010 data) |
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