CareerEdge

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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

CareerEdge Hires Workforce Program Coordinator

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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

10 Years of Reshaping Workforce Development

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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

CareerEdge Offers Tuition-Free HVAC Installation & Maintenance Fast-Track Training

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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

CareerEdge Offers Tuition-Free HVAC Installation and Maintenance Fast-Track Training

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Graduates are guaranteed jobs with the participating employers at an average starting wage of $15 per hour.

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. The training addresses the needs of HVAC employers that want to recruit and rapidly train people for a very specific skill set—namely the installation and maintenance process— and then develop these employees further over time through internships and apprenticeship programs. Read More

CareerEdge Brings Nearly $600,000 To Bolster Regional Workforce Development

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This year, CareerEdge raised $592,280 from 12 different organizations including financial institutions, county government, private foundations – both local and national. With their support, CareerEdge will continue its efforts to improve the workforce climate in Sarasota and Manatee counties. CareerEdge helps workers advance into higher-skill/higher-wage careers, while providing employers with the workers they need to accelerate growth. As a nonprofit, CareerEdge could do not conduct its innovative work without the support of funders. Read online

COVID-19 presents challenges for Sarasota workers

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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 went into effect.

Higdon worked as a cook at a Sarasota restaurant that cut staff when it suspended dine-in service by state mandate in mid-March. He also attended Suncoast Technical College, studying heating, ventilation and air conditioning work. That, too, was affected by the coronavirus — classes switched to remote instruction April 1.   Read More

Barancik Foundation Awards CareerEdge Funding to Help Shape the Future of Our Workforce

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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 to their organization, 94% of employers plan to offer additional internships and 64% of interns were hired at an average wage of $19.62/per hour.  This spring, COVID-19 dramatically impacted our workforce and education delivery systems. A $150,000 grant from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation has been used to offer salary reimbursement to employers for on-the-job training, provide internship and apprenticeship opportunities, and increase existing workforce talent in our region.  Read More

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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 thought there was a gap in tackling the issue, punctuated by the crippling downturn. Read More

Gulf Coast Community Foundation Awards CareerEdge Funding

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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 to be an active partner.

Training and certification opportunities for prospective and existing workers play a critical role in developing a robust regional workforce. CareerEdge will use grant funds for on-the-job training, internships, and apprenticeship salary subsidies for local employers, Fast-Track training, and employer grants for upskilling their current workforce. In the wake of COVID-19, these programs are more important than ever.
CareerEdge Fast-Track training is a way for employers to quickly fill in-demand openings while offering rapid credentialing and certifications critical within the industry. To do this, CareerEdge brings together employers and educational partners to identify the specific job skills needed in an industry for employer-led hands-on training.

CareerEdge Employer Grants are designated to help employers upskill and train their current workforce. One local manufacturing employer that received funding saw a 93 percent retention rate and 100 percent of its employees that completed training received wage increases. Another local health care employer used grant funds to hire entry-level employees and provide training opportunities for the employees. Upon successful completion of their Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training, the employee receives a 25 percent pay increase over a one-year period. (Read)