Gulf Coast Community Foundation Awards CareerEdge $125,000 to Train and Upskill Local Workforce

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 Gulf Coast Community Foundation Awards CareerEdge $125,000 to Train and Upskill Local Workforce

Sarasota, Fla. (August 1, 2022) CareerEdge, the workforce development initiative of the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, will continue its workforce efforts thanks to a $125,000 grant from Gulf Coast Community Foundation.  This grant award extends the 11-year-long partnership between CareerEdge and Gulf Coast, who was a founding investor in CareerEdge and continues to play an integral role in the region’s workforce development.

CareerEdge will use the grant funds for on-the-job training, internships, and salary subsidies for local employers.  They will also be used for CareerEdge’s Fast-Track training programs.  Fast-Track training is a way for employers to quickly fill in-demand job openings while offering rapid credentialing and certifications critical within the industry.

“Gulf Coast’s generous support will allow CareerEdge to continue the meaningful work of partnering with local companies to upskill and train their employees,” said Heather Kasten, President/CEO of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. “Companies now more than ever, need a skilled workforce to accomplish their goals and demands.”

Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s cumulative support for CareerEdge now exceeds $1.5 million. The foundation was an inaugural investor when the initiative was launched back in 2009, and it has continued to help steer and fund CareerEdge since then.

“With the one-two punch from inflation, and a protracted pandemic, workforce readiness and economic diversification are greater priorities for our region now, more than ever—and therefore for Gulf Coast Community Foundation,” said Jon Thaxton, Gulf Coast’s senior vice president for community investment and co-chair of the CareerEdge Funders Committee. “CareerEdge continues to lead the way in providing responsive programs that help employers train and retain workers and provide them with career pathways otherwise difficult to navigate in these uncertain times.”