CareerEdge study delves into how insurance industry in Sarasota/Manatee area can attract workers.

Construction, health care and manufacturing aren’t the only industries with worker shortages. The insurance industry is feeling it, too.

A new study by Sarasota-based CareerEdge Funders Collaborative addresses that issue, examining jobs and skills needed for area insurance companies to grow and meet the talent shortage head-on.

The study was put together using data from phone interviews and in-person roundtables with employers. One area employer that participated, for instance, has 60 job openings.

Mireya Eavey, chief workforce officer for The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and CareerEdge Funders Collaborative, tells Coffee Talk many of the insurance companies that participated in the study are competitors. “They came together because they realize they have to work together to address this shortage of workers,” she says.

One key finding from talks with employers is students don’t understand insurance. “We have to change the story in schools,” Eavey says.

To do that, some rebranding of the industry and the available careers is in order. “The biggest thing is rebranding — highlighting this industry of good-paying jobs,” she says.

Employers also conveyed they want to be more involved in developing higher education programs about insurance. “Employers are eager to be part of the solution,” Eavey says. “The programs we currently have aren’t exactly what we need.”

The next step is presenting the findings to educators from a variety of educational entities, from Sarasota County Schools to State College of Florida. “We look at this as an opportunity for them,” Eavey says. “Educators are eager to have programs that fit the needs.”

After educator feedback is collected, a communitywide plan will be developed with specific action steps. The process is similar to one CareerEdge successfully followed for the manufacturing industry.

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Mary Dougherty and Mireya Eavey have been talking lately about the workforce shortage in the construction industry, and what can be done to relieve it.
Dougherty is the executive director of the 345-member Gulf Coast Builders Exchange, which represents and advocates for the building industry in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. She has held that post since 2009.
Eavey is chief workforce officer at the CareerEdge Funders Collaborative of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. She resigned as Sarasota area president of United Way Suncoast in May when CareerEdge moved to the chamber.
In the Sarasota-Manatee region, 25,000 people were working in the construction sector in July, according to the latest state data. That was up by 1,600 workers over the year, but off from the July peak of 32,400 in 2006. States like Florida, where home values fell more sharply during the bust, experienced greater declines in their construction work forces.

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According to the Florida Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index Survey, this is the sixth quarter in a row that employers are concerned about finding skilled workforce to meet open job demands.  Businesses are also wary of economic uncertainty.  The Florida Chamber of Commerce has been conducting these surveys to better understand the issues that are most important to small businesses.  Read the entire survey here.

Steps to Apply:

1. Click the blue button below labeled “Click to Apply,” which will open the flyer.
2. On the flyer, click any of the dealership logos that you will be applying to work at. This will take you to each dealership’s employment posting page. 
3. Apply to any or all of the participating dealerships by selecting the appropriate logos.

Sarasota, FL. (July 23, 2018): For those looking for an on-ramp to a career with upward mobility, CareerEdge Funders Collaborative has partnered with a consortium of eight local automotive dealerships to provide a fast-track pathway to becoming an automotive technician.  Given the shortage of mechanics, CareerEdge worked with Suncoast Technical College (STC) to create an “express program” in the evenings so that entry-level employees can receive both on-the-job as well as classroom training.

Participating employers include: Gettel Automotive, Sunset Auto Group, Peterson Toyota of Sarasota, Venice Honda, Wilde Automotive, Sarasota Mitsubishi, and Howard Lincoln and Mazda.  These organizations will hire individuals with no experience at $12 per hour for full or part-time trainee positions.  The new hires must then attend the mandatory, free 11-week automotive training program at STC’s Beneva Road campus on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., from August 21 to October 30.

“This is the third class of its kind CareerEdge has developed and is thrilled to have eight dealerships on board to offer individuals this rapid pathway to a career with strong wages and advancement opportunities,” says CareerEdge Executive Director Mireya Eavey.  “The automotive industry has really come together to solve the labor shortage with their willingness to invest in entry-level workers.”

Once participants complete the 11-week class, they will be paid $13 per hour full time with benefits and have the potential for additional industry certifications and growth at the dealerships.  Average wages for mechanics are between $40,000 and $50,000, with some earning upwards of six figures.

The training, which is funded by Gulf Coast Community Foundation donor Walt Eppard, is a revised version of the college’s year-long program and includes CareerEdge’s Bridges to Careers soft skills training, as well as financial education class.

No experience is required for this training and all interested applicants should apply directly to any or all of the participating dealerships using their online employment portals.  These organizations will screen and choose their new hires and then approve them for the funded evening class. All inquiries should be made directly to these employers.

SARASOTA, FL (July 17, 2018) – The CareerEdge Funders Collaborative is putting up a “help wanted” sign for local insurance companies: Help us identify the jobs and skills you need to grow your organization.

“A shortage of talent is one of the biggest impediments to growth in the insurance industry. We face a significant skills gap and are preparing to meet this business need. Deliberate action must be taken to recruit, retain and develop employees who can successfully execute against an organization’s strategy and vision. Insurers, like FCCI, are ready to tackle this challenge. A skills gap study will highlight the insurance industry’s talent demands so our region and its workforce can thrive,” said Lisa Krouse, Board member, EVP, Chief HR and Communications Officer at FCCI

The Insurance Skills Gap Study will contain data retrieved from employer roundtables and telephone interviews with local insurance industry leaders.  Training resources available in the region will be compared to the feedback and needs that employers mention in these interviews. The goal is to identify whether training currently exists and, if not, what must be changed or added by training partners to help insurance companies fill the skill gap, hire employees, and grow their companies. The survey is being conducted by Stephanie Kempton of Kempton Research and Planning.

“In 2012 CareerEdge spearheaded a similar skills gap study for the manufacturing industry and it dramatically altered how our community understood the needs of those employers.  We now see that same potential in the insurance industry which, in the aggregate, produces a significant number of local jobs.  This new study will be the perfect stepping stone to support those employers by better understanding their needs,” explains Kevin Cooper, CEO and President of The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.

CareerEdge Funders Collaborative joined The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce earlier this year to expand workforce development initiatives like this to more industries.

CareerEdge Needs Assistance from Employers:

Commitment and participation from local employers during the research phase of this project is crucial and can lead to eye opening results.  CareerEdge requests that local organizations who are interested in joining this discussion should contact, Lauren Meyer, CareerEdge Program Coordinator, LMeyer@SarasotaChamber.com for further information.