WHEREAS, as Governor, I am committed to taking Florida’s economy and workforce to new heights; and
WHEREAS, our state remains a place where meaningful jobs are created, and businesses are encouraged to grow; and
WHEREAS, in 1937, the National Registered Apprenticeship system, established by the National Apprenticeship Act, began the first official partnership between education and business in training America’s skilled workforce; and
WHEREAS, apprenticeship programs allow employers to increase productivity and improve the quality of the workforce, while providing on-the-job training, related classroom instruction, and guaranteed wage structures; and
WHEREAS, Executive Order 19-31 expanded Registered Apprenticeship and solidified Florida’s commitment to become number 1 in the nation in workforce education by 2030, allowing individuals to gain advanced knowledge, skills and nationally recognized industry credentials; and
WHEREAS, apprenticeship programs are a key component of this goal, helping to create a seamless academic path from high school, to post-secondary, to the workforce; and
WHEREAS, Florida is working to facilitate bold and appropriate deregulation of our occupational licensing regime by removing barriers and increasing efficiency for entities wanting to sponsor a Registered Apprenticeship program, including reducing approval wait times and providing increased flexibility by expanding the criteria for apprentice occupations; and
WHEREAS, Florida has over 200 active Registered Apprenticeship programs, more than 11,000 registered apprentices, and over 4,500 employers in training; and
WHEREAS, Florida has committed $10 million in funding for the Fiscal year 2019-2020 to seed high-quality workforce apprenticeships and other industry-specific learning opportunities in the state; and
WHEREAS, Florida’s workforce development and education partners, including the Department of Economic Opportunity, CareerSource Florida and the Department of Education, are focused on creating new apprenticeship opportunities in a range of targeted industry sectors including advanced manufacturing, construction, healthcare, information technology, hospitality and trade and logistics; and
WHEREAS, the continued growth of Registered Apprenticeship will ensure our students are prepared for the jobs of the future with an abundance of high-wage employment options right here in Florida.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Ron Desantis, Governor of the State of Florida, do hereby extend greetings and best wishes to all observing November 11-17, 2019, as Apprenticeship Awareness and Appreciation Week in Florida.
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ABOUT CAREERSOURCE FLORIDA
CareerSource Florida provides oversight and 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. 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.