Tallahassee, Fla. – The CareerSource Florida Board of Directors today approved a comprehensive employment, education and training policy for the state workforce system that will advance implementation of Florida’s landmark 2021 Reimagining Education and Career Help (REACH) Act.
The new policy underscores the importance of collaboration among the state board, Florida’s 24 local workforce development boards and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, along with education, community, business and other partners to:
- Create simplified access to and excellent customer service, focused on continuous improvement, for Florida’s workforce.
- Align programs and resources to meet local demand for labor in occupations that lead to self-sustaining jobs.
- Implement data-driven accountability measures and quantifiable outcomes for training and employment programs as well as services to Florida businesses.
“The 24 local workforce development boards within the CareerSource Florida network share the state board’s values, which include integrity, being purpose-driven and being focused on continuous improvement,” said CareerSource Florida Board Chair Stephanie Smith, senior director of government relations for Anthem, Inc. “This new state policy codifies the intent of the REACH Act to ensure a customer-focused service model that aligns Florida’s workforce and education systems with high-demand, high-wage workforce needs.”
The board also approved a series of strategic policy updates to direct apprenticeship expansion efforts, board governance and leadership; further delineate requirements for ethics, transparency and conflict of interest disclosure; and expand the industries of focus for the state’s Incumbent Worker Training grants to support existing businesses.
Presentations to the board included remarks from the founders of TruMont, a new registered apprenticeship sponsor that worked with CareerSource Florida network, among others, to establish and expand apprenticeships to help address urgent healthcare workforce training needs.
Additionally, the board received reports on the prior day’s meetings of the CareerSource Florida Finance and Strategic Policy & Performance Councils. Finance Council Chairman Bill Johnson, an owner of the Autobahn Indoor Speedway franchise, reported a clean independent audit of CareerSource Florida’s financial statements and procedures for the 21st consecutive year.
Strategic Policy & Performance Council Vice Chair Sophia Eccleston, senior external affairs manager for Florida Power & Light, provided an update on a series of council initiatives including the Florida Career Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecaster (CLIFF) Dashboard. This interactive tool, created in collaboration with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, will enhance the ability of people on public assistance and their career coaches to plan and make informed decisions about career pathways to achieve self-sufficiency and economic prosperity.
On the CareerSource Florida Boardroom page you will find additional information about board activities and meeting materials. To find your nearest career center, visit the Find Your Local Team page.
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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.