CareerEdge Receives $150,000 Grant from Gulf Coast Community Foundation to Enhance Local Workforce Development Effort 

Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida (July 8, 2025) – CareerEdge, the workforce development initiative led by the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, has been awarded a substantial $150,000 grant from Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast). This generous grant, made possible through the Maria Haber Charitable Fund, further solidifies the longstanding partnership between CareerEdge and Gulf Coast. As one of CareerEdge’s founding funders, Gulf Coast has continuously played an active role in advancing their mission.  

The grant will support CareerEdge Funders Collaborative’s initiatives in providing an exceptional labor force to growing industries by leveraging community assets and forming high-performing workforce partnerships. CareerEdge will utilize the grant to implement demand-driven strategies, including Fast-Track training programs, on-the-job training, internship reimbursement programs, and employer funding to upskill employees.  

“CareerEdge is proud to continue its longstanding funding partnership with Gulf Coast Community Foundation,” said Dan Sidler, Vice President of CareerEdge & Economic Development. “This investment directly fuels high-impact workforce programs that address critical skills gaps for local employers, while empowering individuals to gain in-demand training, launch meaningful careers, and improve their long-term financial stability. The ripple effects of this support are felt across the region—in businesses, in households, and throughout our economy.” 

Since its inception in 2010, CareerEdge and its employer partners have invested $18.5 million, providing training for 8,141 workers, resulting in 1,646 promotions, 5,210 raises, and $42.1 million in workers’ aggregate annual earnings. In 2024 alone, CareerEdge and partners invested $1.3 million in workforce development, resulting in 486 workers trained, $2.1 million in added wages, created 117 new jobs, provided 213 new employment opportunities, and 594 new certifications were earned.   

About CareerEdge Funders Collaborative  

CareerEdge Funders Collaborative is an innovative partnership of business, government, and philanthropic organizations, leveraging public and private dollars to provide opportunities for better jobs and wages in Manatee and Sarasota counties. CareerEdge is the workforce development initiative of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. For more information about CareerEdge and its partners, please visit www.careeredgefunders.org  or call 941.556.4045.  

About the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce  

The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization that exists to maximize our members’ success, the community’s competitiveness, and the area’s economic strengths. For more information, call (941) 955-8187 or visit online at www.sarasotachamber.com  

About Gulf Coast Community Foundation 
Headquartered in Venice, Fla. and with a second office in downtown Sarasota, Fla., Gulf Coast Community Foundation was founded in 1995 to serve our community – forever. Together with our donors, Gulf Coast transforms the region through bold and proactive philanthropy. Serving the needs of the region as a partner in philanthropy and leader in community initiatives, Gulf Coast has surpassed granting over $605 million in the areas of: health and human services, civic and economic development, education, arts and culture, and the environment. Since 2006, the Foundation has earned accreditation with Community Foundations National Standards®, the nation’s highest standard for philanthropic excellence. Gulf Coast was named one of the “Best Nonprofits To Work For” nationally by The NonProfit Times in 2010, 2011, 2017, 2020, 2021, and 2023. To learn more, visit GulfCoastCF.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.     

CareerEdge and Dwyer Workforce Development fund hybrid learning CNA training in partnership with Meridian West Central College

(July 16, 2024) – Sarasota, FL The workforce development initiative of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, CareerEdge, continuously seeks innovative programs and techniques to support local businesses.  In this new pilot program, CareerEdge, with Dwyer Workforce Development, and Meridian West Central College offer a tuition free hybrid learning Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) class launching in August.

Dwyer Workforce Development (DWD) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing healthcare training to communities and enhancing care for seniors.  DWD will offer free case management and need-based wraparound services, such as financial support for housing, childcare, transportation, scholarships, and more.

Meridian West Central College, a local private school licensed by the Commission for Independent Education, will provide the 120-hour program to prepare individuals for entry-level nursing work in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and/or private duty settings.  The goal of the program is to address the growing demand for skilled healthcare professionals in our community and provide individuals from Sarasota and Manatee County with the opportunity to start a rewarding career in healthcare without the financial burden.

This program is taught in English, with a combination of lecture, discussion, hands-on practical lab exercises, and real-world clinical experience conducted off-campus at local nursing/rehab facilities. The tuition-free FastTrack begins August 12, 2024, and runs through October 18 with AM and PM classes available.  Morning classes are held Monday – Wednesday online, Thursday in person, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. In-person classes will take place at Meridian West Central College, 201 Montgomery Avenue Sarasota, Florida 34243.  Evening classes take place from 5:00 to 9:00pm with the same three days of online instruction and one day of in-person practice. The program will also include CareerEdge’s Bridges to Careers soft skills training where participants learn additional aspects of professionalism, including interview and resume building skills.

Program Highlights:

• Tuition-Free: The CNA training program is tuition-free for all eligible participants.
• Comprehensive Curriculum: The program includes 9 weeks of remote learning instruction, with in person hands-on clinical training, and preparation for the state certification exam.
• Job Placement Assistance: Graduates will receive support in finding employment opportunities upon completion of the program.
• Flexible Schedules: Classes are available during the day 9am to 1pm or evenings 5pm to 9pm to accommodate different schedules.
• Wraparound services: Financial support during training for housing, childcare, transportation, scholarships, and more.

To be eligible, applicants must have a GED or high school diploma, reside in Sarasota or Manatee County, submit their application by Monday, July 22^nd, and pass a background check and drug test before beginning the training.

Participants are responsible for paying for their application fee, certification exam fee, fingerprint testing, drug screening and CPR certification. Participants must also complete a medical clearance, provide proof of certain immunizations, and are responsible for covering expenses associated with these steps.  No technical experience is required for this training.  Interested applicants need to apply and interview with CareerEdge staff.  Those selected will be notified. The program is limited to only 15 participants per cohort (AM and PM).  For more information go to https://careeredgefunders.org/bridges-to-careers/.

Funding for the program is made possible by CareerEdge Funders Collaborative and the generous support from its funders and with the support of the local health care business community.

About CareerEdge Funders Collaborative

CareerEdge Funder’s Collaborative is an innovative partnership of business, government, and philanthropic organizations that leverages public and private dollars to provide opportunities for better jobs and wages in Manatee and Sarasota counties.  CareerEdge is the workforce development initiative of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. For more information about CareerEdge and its partners, please visit www.careeredgefunders.org or call 941.556.4029.

About the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce

The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization that works to cultivate Sarasota’s prosperity and quality of life through our member businesses, for more information please call (941) 955-8187 or visit us at www.sarasotachamber.com.

CareerEdge Funders Collaborative receives a $71,000 grant from Truist Foundation to Upskill Workers

Sarasota, Fla., (Jan. 17, 2024) – CareerEdge Funders Collaborative today announced it received a $71,000 grant from Truist Foundation to assist the skills and earning capacity of its community members by providing them with an opportunity to obtain the necessary training and credentialing so that they can enter the workforce successfully.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Truist Foundation to bolster our Bridges to Careers training programs,” said Dan Sidler, Vice President of CareerEdge & Economic Development. “This generous funding provides our community the life-changing launchpad for individuals to acquire foundational skills and industry-recognized credentials, increasing participants’ earning capacity and setting them on a career path within our targeted sectors.”

The grant will be strategically directed toward enhancing the Bridges to Careers program, facilitated by CareerEdge. This effort seeks to enhance the skills and income potential of community members by offering essential training and credentials to facilitate their successful entry into the workforce. The program often employs a “Fast-Track” approach, rapidly upskilling participants within a compressed timeframe, effectively preparing them to meet the skills demanded by employers in today’s job market. This backing will significantly increase CareerEdge’s capacity to equip individuals with pertinent skills, ensuring their readiness for success in their careers. Ultimately, this will contribute to fostering economic growth within the community.

“Truist’s purpose of inspiring and building better lives and communities often begins with helping build pathways to steady employment and financial independence,” said Truist Regional President Steve Fisher. “We believe we can help communities achieve this through increasing access to training and breaking barriers to employment.”

 About CareerEdge Funders Collaborative

CareerEdge Funders Collaborative is an innovative partnership of business, government, and philanthropic organizations, leveraging public and private dollars to provide opportunities for better jobs and wages in Manatee and Sarasota counties. CareerEdge is the workforce development initiative of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. For more information about CareerEdge and its partners, please visit www.careeredgefunders.org or call 941.556.4045.

About Truist Foundation

Truist Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. The Foundation, an endowed private foundation established in 2020 whose operating budget is independent of Truist Financial Corporation, makes strategic investments in a wide variety of nonprofit organizations centered around two focus areas: building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses to ensure all communities have an equal opportunity to thrive. Embodying these focus areas are the Foundation’s leading initiatives – the Inspire Awards and Where It Starts. Learn more at Truist.com/Foundation

CareerEdge, the workforce development program of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, is now accepting applications for two upcoming Fast-Track Training programs – an automotive collision Tech program through Manatee Technical College, and a Marine Service program for high school seniors through Suncoast Technical College. Both programs are entirely tuition free, thanks to the generosity of CareerEdge’s funders.

Listening and responding to local business demands is a staple of the CareerEdge model.  In its sustained effort to innovate solutions for the skills gap and grow the local workforce, CareerEdge is launching two “transportation-inspired” fast-track programs in March 2023.

Auto Collision Technician Fast Track Program
When: March 20 – May 25, 2023, Monday and Thursday 5:30 – 7:30pm
Where: Manatee Technical College, 6305 State Road 70 E, Bradenton
Apply today: https://careeredgefunders.org/bridges-to-careers/

Starting with the Automotive Collision fast-track, it is a never-before offered opportunity. Employer partners, Sunset Automotive Group and Morgan Automotive Group, believe in investing in their personnel. Candidates hired by or currently working for these regional automotive groups will attend this program at Manatee Technical College. CareerEdge brought the employers and college together to determine the industry’s workforce needs, identify the specific curriculum components, and provide this chance for free education.

The tuition-free classes will begin March 20, 2023 and run through May 1, 2023 in the evenings on Monday and Thursday from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Manatee Technical College, 6305 State Road 70 E, Bradenton. No technical experience is required, and all interested applicants will need to apply for and be screened by the employer and college before acceptance is confirmed. Participants must be Sarasota or Manatee County residents and apply by Monday, February 27th.  Graduates of the program will earn entry level certifications.

Marine Service Training (for High School Seniors)
When: March 7 – May 18, 2023, Tuesday-Thursday 5:30 – 9pm
Where: Suncoast Technical College, 4748 S Beneva Rd, Sarasota, FL 34233
Apply today: https://careeredgefunders.org/bridges-to-careers/

In addition to the automotive fast-track, CareerEdge is partnering with Local boat manufacturer, Chris-Craft, and Suncoast Technical College (STC) to offer a free Marine Service Technologies training program.  Chris-Craft is looking for ways to recruit and rapidly train people for a very specific skill set and then continue to develop their talent through internships and apprenticeship programs.

Unlike previous Bridges to Careers fast-track programs, the target audience of this partnership is Sarasota County high school seniors.  The tuition-free classes will take place in the evening Tuesday-Thursday from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm at STC’s main campus 4748 Beneva Road Sarasota, FL 34233 and are scheduled to begin March 7, 2023, and run through May.  Chris-Craft will host a Mandatory Info session to interview participants on Wednesday, February 8^th and to plan to visit the class to enhance the real-world nature of the program. Graduates of this program may be hired by Chris-Craft (contingent upon availability). No technical experience is required. All interested applicants will need to apply and be screened by the employer and college. High school seniors interested in this opportunity must apply by Monday, February 6^th, those selected will be notified after the mandatory info session and interviews.

Eligibility for both programs includes having a clean background, agreeing to a background and drug test prior to starting the training, a valid driver’s license, ability to lift 75 lbs., reliable transportation, and enjoyment of hands-on work.  Each program also includes CareerEdge’s Bridges to Careers soft skills and employability training. Funding for both programs is made possible by the gracious donors to the CareerEdge Funders Collaboration. The online applications can be found at:  https://careeredgefunders.org/bridges-to-careers/

About CareerEdge Funders Collaborative

CareerEdge Funder’s Collaborative is an innovative partnership of business, government, and philanthropic organizations that leverages public and private dollars to provide opportunities for better jobs and wages in Manatee and Sarasota counties.  CareerEdge is the workforce development initiative of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. For more information about CareerEdge and its partners, please visit www.careeredgefunders.org or call 941.556.4029.

About the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce

The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization that works to cultivate Sarasota’s prosperity and quality of life through our member businesses, for more information please call (941) 955-8187 or visit us at www.sarasotachamber.com.