You’ve heard the saying — the best gifts come in small packages. Sometimes the best gifts come in downright tiny packages.
Like the gift of opportunity CareerEdge and retired area developer Walt Eppard have given students at Sarasota’s Suncoast Technical College: the chance to build a tiny home. Read More
SARASOTA COUNTY – Before trade school students graduate, prospective employers want them to have hands-on experience in their fields. But the global COVID-19 pandemic stalled internships and canceled on-the-job programs where students could practice and gain real-world experience.
In response, Suncoast Technical College and CareerEdge collaborated on the Tiny Homes Project that will give 180 students across five trade programs practice building small homes over a 10-month period. Read More
The $50,000 grant will provide salary reimbursement, internship and apprenticeship opportunities, and help increase workforce talent.
Tidewell Hospice has received a grant from CareerEdge Funders Collaborative to allow the organization’s Registered Nurses and certified nursing assistants to obtain advanced hospice certification. The $15,900 grant will fund training and examination fees for 22 RNs and 10 CNAs. Upon successfully passing the Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse examination (RNs) and Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant examination, colleagues are awarded the appropriate credentials, CHPN® and CHPNA®, for RNs and CNAs, respectively. Read More
Sarasota-Manatee workers need foundational digital skills to thrive
By Louis Llovio Published October 5, 2020
When Liz Allen returned home to Sarasota after following family to Atlanta, she needed to find a job.
Allen, 57, had left her job at a Sarasota doctor’s office about a year earlier, but after years of working in the medical profession, the set of computer skills Allen had learned were insufficient for finding the kind of work she wanted.
That she didn’t own a computer only made the search tougher.
Allen’s story is not an unfamiliar one. Everywhere you look, there are people who lack the skills to hunt for jobs today, let alone have the skills employers are searching for. And, even if they had these skills, many lack computers or internet access. Read Story
New careers. Within reach.
By Jennifer Elmore |
Walter Higdon was stuck.
Stuck in a job that provided no upward growth. Stuck working odd hours that took him away from his children. And stuck earning minimum wage with no benefits.
He needed to provide more for his family. He wanted more for himself. But he wasn’t sure where to start.
“I got to take the boys to school in the mornings, and sometimes it was the only time I got to see them because they were in bed and asleep when I got home from work,” Higdon recalled.
Then he saw an ad in the newspaper for CareerEdge. This was his chance.
CareerEdge is part of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Foundation. It connects employers along Florida’s west coast with a skilled workforce. CareerEdge training focuses on manufacturing, health care, insurance, automotive work and more. Higdon enrolled in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning course. Read Story
Kathryn Whalen will assist with workforce development initiatives, lead fast-track training programs, work with business and community partners and coordinate special projects. Read More
For the last then years, CareerEdge led by founding Executive Director Mireya Eavey, has been dedicated to innovating workforce development in the region. Read More
Local heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) companies are partnering with CareerEdge and Suncoast Technical College (STC) to offer a free fast-track HVAC Installation and Maintenance program which will launch in September. This training provides a gateway job for individuals to enter a career with upward mobility opportunities to earn higher wages with benefits. The tuition-free class will begin September 29th and concludes in December with classes held in the evening Monday through Wednesday from (5:30pm to 9pm) at STC’s main campus 4748 Beneva Road Sarasota, FL 34233. Applicants eligibility includes residing in Manatee and Sarasota Counties, must have a clean driving record, agree to a background check prior to starting the training, ability to lift 75 lbs., physically capable to work in attics, high temperature environment. No technical experience is required for this training and all interested applicants, will need to apply for the free program and be screened by the college and employers. Interested applicants must apply by September 8th, those selected will be notified and must attend a mandatory information session. Read Online
