From those who lost their job to essential personnel who must work in-person during a public health crisis, coronavirus is taking its toll on local laborers. Like many workers in Florida, and in the restaurant industry in particular, Walter Higdon found himself out of a job after new regulations and health guidelines related to COVID-19 […]
COVID-19 has dramatically impacted our economy, but the momentum of workforce development programs in our region remains strong. Through partnerships with 100 local businesses, CareerEdge has funded 329 internships for students to apply their knowledge outside the classroom this year. Internship outcomes from recent annual evaluation include: 94% of employers reported the internship added value […]
Through the recession of 2008-09, the most common method of addressing unemployment and underemployment issues in a community in Florida was through a hodgepodge network of workforce boards. Those entities looked at hiring and retention issues from the perspective of the employee, or potential employee. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but Mireya Eavey […]
CareerEdge, the workforce development initiative of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, has received a $125,000 grant from Gulf Coast Community Foundation to bolster its work in training and upskilling the local workforce. This grant extends the decade-long partnership between CareerEdge and Gulf Coast Community Foundation, which was a founding funder of CareerEdge and continues […]
CareerEdge Funders Collaborative, the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s workforce initiative, awarded $157,209 to train 164 employees at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, Sarasota/STC Construction Students, Atlantic Mold & Machining Corp., and State Farm, George Quarterman. The total employer investment among the four companies for their employee training is $518,905. Incumbent worker training increases […]
CareerEdge, the workforce development initiative of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, is continuing on-the-job training and displaced worker assistance programs thanks to a $25,000 Economic Mobility grant from Bank of America. As a founding investor and member of the CareerEdge Funders Council, this funding grant extends a decade-long partnership with Bank of America and […]
by: David Conway Deputy Managing Editor Like many workers in Florida, and in the restaurant industry in particular, Walter Higdon found himself out of a job after new regulations and health guidelines related to COVID-19 went into effect. Higdon worked as a cook at a Sarasota restaurant that cut staff when it suspended dine-in service by […]
Business organizations in Manatee and Sarasota counties have joined forces to connect displaced workers with employers who need to fill staffing demands brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Employers can post jobs and workers can search for them at JobFocus.com, a service hosted by the Manatee Chamber of Commerce. Additional partners are Bradenton Area Economic Development […]
The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s CareerEdge workforce initiative, is partnering with Suncoast Technical College to place their full-time trades students, who are only months away from graduation, in paid internships to gain hands-on skills, course credit and a paycheck while schools are closed. “We are in unprecedented times. Working with the technical colleges, we […]
Florida is creating one of every 10 new jobs in nation, economist says. Parrish spoke to members of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce at a “Where are the jobs?” session at the Carlisle Inn. Also speaking, remotely from California, was Chris Benner, professor of environmental studies and sociology at the University of California, was […]
