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Tallahassee, Fla. – As Floridians return to work, CareerSource Florida announces new resources for people interested in flexible or remote working opportunities. These new tools help users understand the growth and impacts of gig work on the state’s economy, answer questions and provide helpful resources for gig workers and employers.
The Gig Economy Resource Guide and the Gig Economy Dashboard build on CareerSource Florida’s first-of-its-kind study on the Gig Economy and Florida’s Workforce System. The report provided insights on how gig work – independent or contract work often facilitated by online platforms such as Uber, Wonolo, Rover and TaskRabbit – offers opportunities and options for Florida’s workforce and businesses.
“Our state’s workforce is diverse in its makeup and its talents, and CareerSource Florida is dedicated to helping Floridians find rewarding employment that meets their needs,” said CareerSource Florida President and CEO Michelle Dennard. “Gig work provides flexibility as well as opportunities for individuals to gain work experience and build transferable skills and provides businesses access to workers with specific skills for short- or long-term projects.”
CareerSource Florida Vice President of Strategic Policy and Performance Dan McGrew provided an overview of these assets, now available on careersourceflorida.com, at the state workforce board’s Strategic Policy and Performance Council meeting in June. Local workforce development board partners are encouraged to link to the resources on their websites or in outreach to job seekers and businesses.
“These resources will allow gig workers to think bigger about both their opportunities and responsibilities,” said Florida Workforce Development Association President and CareerSource Polk President and CEO Stacy Campbell-Domineck. “The Gig Resource Guide and Gig Economy Dashboard provide helpful information on a variety of topics including health insurance, retirement planning and tax rules that gig workers can use to cultivate greater success.”
The new Gig Economy dashboard summarizes data from national sources including the U.S. Census Bureau and the Internal Revenue Service and provides an analysis of the pre-pandemic growth of gig work in Florida by county and industry. The new resource guide covers topics including ways to find work and self-promote; considerations about taxes, bookkeeping, insurance and legal issues; and how to use the CareerSource Florida network to pursue training and other career options.
“As gig workers hone their skills and acquire customers, they may discover a new career path,” said Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Secretary Dane Eagle. “CareerSource Florida centers throughout the state are ready to assist gig workers with valuable resources and tools they may find essential to thrive in Florida’s evolving economy.”
Historically, gig work has been more prevalent across creative and professional service industries, but the work is expanding to include a wider variety of professional, technical, business and consumer services and includes a greater diversity of skill levels.
The resource guide and dashboard are available to the public and can be used by Florida’s local workforce development boards to assist Floridians seeking information on gig work, and employers seeking workers for particular projects.
CareerSource Florida Policy Analyst Warren Davis will review the assets and demonstrate how they may be used to identify opportunities for self-employment and help job seekers better understand how to start or supplement a career with independent work during a workshop at the at the Workforce Professional Development Summit in September.
For more information about the gig economy and to view other reports and publications from CareerSource Florida, visit careersourceflorida.com/about-us/reports-and-publications.
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ABOUT CAREERSOURCE FLORIDA
CareerSource Florida, with its business-led board of directors, provides policy direction for talent development programs administered by the Department of Economic Opportunity, Florida’s 24 local workforce development boards and their 100 career centers. The CareerSource Florida State Board serves as the Governor’s principal workforce policy and investment board, working in partnership with DEO, which is responsible for the state workforce system’s fiscal and administrative affairs, and local workforce development boards that serve Florida’s businesses and career seekers. Together, the CareerSource Florida network connects employers with qualified, skilled talent and Floridians with employment and career development opportunities to achieve economic prosperity. Learn more at careersourceflorida.com.