CareerEdge, Opportunities For All Earn Big Investment to Further Strengthen Local Workforce Development

CareerEdge and Opportunities For All, the workforce and minority-owned business development initiatives led by the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, have been awarded a significant grant from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. The funding will be used to assist unemployed and underemployed individuals who have been unable to earn livable wages in gaining the skills and credentials they need to launch their careers and support their families. 

The grant will be strategically channeled toward implementing demand-driven solutions that align with the evolving needs of the regional job market. CareerEdge plans to leverage these resources to enhance its Fast-Track training programs, on-the-job training initiatives, internship reimbursement programs, and employer-driven upskilling endeavors. The support will enhance CareerEdge’s ability to empower individuals with relevant skills and ensure they are well prepared to excel in their careers, ultimately fostering economic growth within the community. 

Since its inception in 2010, CareerEdge and its employer partners have invested $17.1 million, providing trainings for 7,655 workers, resulting in 1,646 promotions, 4,951 raises, and $40 million in workers’ aggregate annual earnings. In 2023 alone, CareerEdge invested $1.5 million in workforce development, $1.7 million in added wages, trained 461 workers, created 100 new jobs, provided 182 new employment opportunities, and helped workers earn 344 new certifications.  

Additionally, the grant will continue Baranick Foundation support for the two main components of Opportunities For All—a summer-internship program and business-assistance funds to help minority small-business owners and nonprofit organizations grow and thrive. Since 2021, Opportunities for All has supported 82 minority-owned small businesses through grant funding. Additionally, the program has placed 95 students with local employers in meaningful internship experiences, empowering these students by fostering relationships, mentorships, educational opportunities, and future employment. 

“The Chamber is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Barancik Foundation to strengthen our region’s workforce,” said Dan Sidler, Vice President of CareerEdge & Economic Development. “This investment in our programs enables us to provide even greater support to our community’s workers and entrepreneurs. By expanding access to workforce and small business initiatives, we are helping to enhance financial stability and foster future career growth for all.” 

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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 Opportunities For All 

Opportunities For All is a program of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce dedicated to helping small, minority-owned businesses and individuals in our region. 

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 

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

Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida (July 8, 2024) – 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. This generous grant, made possible through the Ed and Barbara Strobel Fund, further solidifies the longstanding partnership between CareerEdge and Gulf Coast Community Foundation. As one of CareerEdge’s founding funders, Gulf Coast Community Foundation 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 honored and grateful to continue the longstanding funding partnership with Gulf Coast Community Foundation,” said Dan Sidler, Vice President of CareerEdge & Economic Development. “This investment is critical in supporting our team’s efforts in closing skills gaps to support employers, while also allowing individuals in our community to jump-start a career and enhance their long-term earnings potential.”

Since its inception in 2010, CareerEdge and its employer partners have invested $17.1 million, providing training for 7,655 workers, resulting in 1,646 promotions, 4,951 raises, and $40 million in workers’ aggregate annual earnings. In 2023 alone, CareerEdge and partners invested $1.5 million in workforce development, resulting in 461 workers trained, $1.8 million in added wages, created 100 new jobs, provided 182 new employment opportunities, and 344 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 has transformed the region through bold and proactive philanthropy for nearly 30 years. Serving the needs of the region as a partner in philanthropy and leader in community initiatives, Gulf Coast has surpassed granting over $550 million in the areas of: health and human services, civic and economic development, education, arts and culture, and the environment. 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.

SARASOTA, FL (August 22, 2023) — The shortage of skilled workers in the construction and electrical sectors has created a pressing need for accessible training initiatives. In response to the growing demand for skilled professionals, CareerEdge Funders Collaborative, the workforce development program of The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, is launching a basic construction and electrical skills training program. This program is designed to provide participants with a unique opportunity to acquire valuable skills and embark on a rewarding career journey, all for free.

Dan Sidler, VP of CareerEdge and Workforce Development, shared, “Our Fast Track Training Program aims to bridge a local skills gap by offering comprehensive training and equipping participants with practical knowledge, hands-on experience, and industry-recognized certifications, at no cost to the individual”.

The training is available to any Sarasota or Manatee County residents in two uniquely designed, and connected, FastTrack programs. Participants must commit to attending both programs.

• 10 weeks Basic Construction (+1 week for Professional Skills Training) from September 26^th to December 14^th meeting every Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• 15 weeks Basic Electrical from January 9^th to April 25^th, meeting every Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The training will take place at the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the education provider Technical Education Council (TEC). TEC uses a curriculum designed by the National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER). NCCER is recognized by the construction industry as the leader in training, assessment, certification, and career development.

Upon completion students will earn NCCER credentials for each course and module including basic safety, introduction to construction math, hand tools, power tools, construction drawings, and basic rigging. In addition, the content includes an overview of the electrical craft including the structure of electrical systems, skills to follow blueprints, wiring install and navigating other electrical components such as circuit breaker panels, switches and light fixtures, basics safety, codes, testing, documentation, and general work of an electrician. During the 80-hour “Bridges to Careers” construction course, the participants will be introduced to local employers for job opportunities.  One goal of the program is to help job seekers engage with employers seeking talent.

This training program is a testament to CareerEdge’s dedication to community development, workforce empowerment, and the growth of this vital industry. It is a platform for individuals to upskill and reskill, to take ownership in shaping their own career and to contribute to the overall progress of our local economy.  Participants have the potential to be hired into careers starting with annual salaries of $33k, and if they continue into an approved apprenticeship program, they routinely receive wage increases as their skills continue to develop.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply at www.careeredgefunders.org.  The application process is now open. Spaces are limited, and candidates will be selected based on their motivation, aptitude, and potential to thrive in the construction and electrical sectors as determined by their application and interview with CareerEdge staff.

Mireya Eavey of the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and Jennifer Behrens of the Atlantic Mold and Machining Corp trekked their way North this week, to present the collective concerns of local business owners, nonprofit founders, and other representatives of Sarasota’s managerial class regarding what they see as long developing cracks in our community’s workforce. Read more