Eavey: Growing tomorrow’s workforce in Sarasota County starts with career preparation
Mireya Eavey talks about the role of the CareerEdge Funders Collaborative to work with local employers to understand the skill sets needed in the workforce; translate that to educators; and work to “upskill” individuals.
It has been a long time since a high school diploma could help new graduates land decent-paying jobs.
Today’s reality is that local and nationwide employers are frustrated by the scarcity of new job applicants with the talent and education to help their companies grow.
The role of CareerEdge Funders Collaborative is to work with local employers to understand the skill sets needed in the workforce, to translate the information to educators, and work to “upskill” individuals by helping them attain credentials required to compete in today’s job market.
We focus on industries that are growing jobs and are projected to have steady growth into the future — health care, manufacturing, insurance and credentialed trades, such as HVAC, plumbing, machinist and auto mechanic.
These high-demand jobs require postsecondary education at a technical school, community college or university, can withstand economic swings, and will adapt with technological advances. Nobody wants students to train for jobs that will be obsolete in five years.
The sustained growth of these industries relies, in large part, on how well we succeed, as a community, in growing the workforce talent.
Our partnership with the Education Foundation of Sarasota County (EFSC) is important to this effort. Read More
