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Workforce Florida Weekly Update 11-09-06 |
CONTENTS The State & RegionsGovernor Jeb Bush Proclaims November "Hire A Veteran Month". Recognizing the value of those who have served our country, on Wednesday, Governor Jeb Bush declared November 2006 "Hire a Veteran Month" in Florida. This declaration is part of a nationwide campaign to reaffirm our commitment to those who have served our nation in times of peace and war. Florida veterans have consistently and selflessly defended our nation’s security and in the process gained valuable skills, leadership and maturity. They represent a versatile and well-trained workforce, offering prospective employers a track record of integrity, sincerity and trustworthiness. The Governor encourages Florida businesses to take advantage of this unmatched employment resource. Veterans are also encouraged to take advantage of the Transition Assistance Program, a federally-administered reemployment program for service members leaving the military. For more information on benefits and assistance for veterans, please visit www.floridavets.org. Governor Jeb Bush Announces $1.2 Million Grant to
Empower Florida Adults and Youth With Disabilities ~ Agency
for Workforce
Innovation to Coordinate Self-Employment Grant. TALLAHASSEE – Governor
Jeb Bush today announced the U.S. Department of Labor awarded
$1.2 million to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation
to increase opportunities for persons with disabilities to
become entrepreneurs. “Persons with disabilities make
a valuable contribution to the character of our state, the
quality of life in our communities and the strength of our
economy,” said Governor Bush. “This funding will
play a vital role in ensuring individuals with disabilities
have the necessary tools to optimize their talents and achieve
their goals.” The Self-Employment for Adults and Youth
with Disabilities Research and Technical Assistance Grant
will fund pilot projects and research to develop systems
models designed to increase self-employment opportunities
for individuals with disabilities. “The Agency for
Workforce Innovation actively pursues funding that creates
services available to all Floridians who wish to work,” said
Agency for Workforce Innovation Director Linda H. South. “This
project will allow Florida to bring new services to those
with disabilities interested in self-employment.” The
project has been developed in coordination with Workforce
Florida, Inc., Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Florida
Department of Education, Division for Vocational Rehabilitation,
the University of South Florida’s University Center
for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Griffin-Hammis & Associates,
LLC, and the National Disability Institute. All of these
partners, with their individual focuses and expertise, work
together to address a special need and create a positive
impact for both workers with disabilities and their communities.
The partners will evaluate three demonstration models currently
being used in Florida for self employment and entrepreneurial
activities, expand technical assistance and training opportunities
for interagency staff that serve persons with disabilities,
and identify barriers and challenges to implementation of
these models. In addition, best practices and strategies
to overcome these barriers will be identified. Three sites
in Jacksonville, Lakeland and Ft. Lauderdale/Miami have been
selected for intensive training and technical assistance
and will serve as incubators for further expansion of the
models. The grant is effective through September 2009. "This
grant aims to diversify employment opportunities for Floridians
with disabilities by providing for flexible employment options,” said
Director for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities Shelly
Brantley. “By empowering individuals with the tools
to launch their own business, they are far more likely to
succeed in their dreams and endeavors." Enterprise Florida, Inc. Celebrates Tenth Anniversary. Last week Enterprise Florida, Inc.’s (EFI) ten-year anniversary was celebrated at the Board of Director’s meeting held in Florida’s Great Northwest. For the last decade, Enterprise Florida, Inc. has been a vital component of the state’s efforts to diversify its economy, helping to foster the creation of high-value jobs for Floridians. By partnering with industries and the private sector during the last decade, EFI has worked on more than 1,400 projects that have helped to create more than 300,000 high-value jobs for Florida’s citizens. In 1996, Florida was the first state to disband its Department of Commerce in favor of a partnership between the public and private sector. Enterprise Florida, Inc. is now the public-private partnership responsible for leading Florida's statewide economic development efforts. For more information on Governor Bush’s economic development initiatives, please visit www.myflorida.com. Innovative Career-Oriented and Allied Programs for Vets Benefit War-Wounded Vets and Northwest Florida. PENSACOLA, FL: Along with its Veterans’ Business Outreach Center (VBOC) Program that falls under the management umbrella of the Florida Small Business Development Center Network, the panhandle now sports "Hometown Heroes Teach", a program that benefits the military vet and local schools. The University of West Florida and Workforce Escarosa, Inc. created Hometown Heroes to enable eligible service-connected disabled vets to get their Florida teaching certification and place them in an Escambia, Santa Rosa or Okaloosa school. During a pilot program that lasts two years, twenty-five men and women will be selected each year. Funding is from Workforce Florida (WF) along with UWF and WF Escarosa. Bill Maloy, the Hometown Heroes Program Director, said "the program is to accomplish two goals: assist in alleviating the teacher shortage and provide combat-wounded vets a chance to use their experience as they help regional youth through teaching." A consortium was created to help the vets. It consists of UWF, Workforce Escarosa, the Workforce Board of Okaloosa and Walton counties, and school boards of the three-county area. The program's intention is to help service members with service-connected disabilities, and also have a bachelor's degree, continue public service through teaching in critically needed teaching slots. The first group will begin preparation for teaching through the online "Teacher Ready" program and the first program slots will also be given to these identified veterans, of which three veterans have already been approved. The VBOC is designed to provide entrepreneurial development through business training, counseling and mentoring for all veterans. Funded by the SBA Office of Veterans Affairs and located at the SBDC at Gulf Coast Community College, services provided include self-employment workshops, concept assessments, business plan preparation, comprehensive feasibility analyses, entrepreneurial training and mentoring. International trade, internet marketing, franchising and accounting are also covered. Bob Yeselevige, owner of YESCO Scaffolding in Panama City, said "the pieces of the entrepreneurial puzzle were beginning to come together (for him), not by luck alone, but for the VBOC advice and their can-do 'Seabee attitude'." To underscore his feeling, Veteran clients of the FSBDCN and VBOC program have an impressive economic impact on the Florida economy; in 2005 a total of $150 million in contract awards to veteran-owned businesses was reported, $19.2 million in capital formation, $11.5 million in sales growth, along with 81 new business start ups and 745 new jobs created. "Veterans have proven their mettle in mission situations demanding endurance, stamina, flexibility, strength and determination," says Doug Swartout, VBOC Director. Together these two allied programs provide a two-fold benefit for the Northwest Florida region. Many opportunities for the disabled veteran that were not available years ago are available now. So, whether teaching or business ownership, veterans now have a bright future and the Florida Panhandle is the ultimate beneficiary of their newfound efforts. The Florida SBDC Network is a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development organizations dedicated to providing emerging and established business owners with assistance enabling overall growth and increased profitability that contributes to the economic prosperity of the state. For more information about the FSBDCN, visit www.FloridaSBDC.com. Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance (Region 15) President
reappointed to state board. Renee Benton, 48, of Tampa, president and
CEO, Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance, Inc., has been reappointed
for a term beginning October 18, 2006 and ending September
10, 2010 by Governor Jeb Bush to the The NationCongressional Elections (from NASWA Bulletin, November 9,
2006). A new Congress is elected in each even-numbered year
(2006) and convenes at the start of each odd-numbered year
(2007). The majority party controls the legislative direction
of key issues and sets committee ratios and budgets. The newly
elected 110th Congress will convene in January 2007. However,
lawmakers elected to serve in the 110th Congress will come
to Washington during the week of November 13, 2006, to organize
and select their party leaders. In the House of Representatives,
a change in the party affiliation of fifteen House members
was needed to shift the control of the House from a Republican
to a Democratic majority. As a result of the mid-term elections,
a projected net gain of at least twenty-nine House seats, have
gone to Democrats. House district races in Connecticut, Georgia,
Louisiana, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Washington and Wyoming
are still undecided. This shift in party leadership in the
House ends twelve years of Republican majority. In terms of
key House Committees, it is expected that Representative David
Obey (D-WI) will take over the reins of the House Appropriations
Committee. It is probable the House Education and Workforce
Committee's longtime ranking Democrat, Representative George
Miller (D-CA), will take the committee gavel while Representative
Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-CA), who currently chairs
the committee, will move to the ranking minority spot. Representative
Charles Rangel, (D-NY) is also expected to assume the chairmanship
of the House Ways and Means Committee. The ratio of Ways and
Means committee membership is also expected to change. Of the
thirty-three (33) Senate races in the mid-term election, Democrats
successfully defended 18 seats and are expected to have a net
gain of six seats to achieve the voting majority of 51. Senate
races in Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island
and Virginia were pivotal to a change in majority leadership
in the Senate. While Democrats are now a majority of one, they
are far from the critical 60 votes Senators acknowledge is
necessary to pass major legislation.
PLEASE NOTE: Registration is limited and on a first come, first serve basis. Call Description: Many homeless service providers whose primary client group is veterans note that it is hard to ensure the veterans have stable housing when they leave transitional programs. Securing both permanent housing and following up with veterans after they move poses challenges. This conference call will review how veteran service providers are working within HUD and VA guidelines to secure permanent housing for veterans. Presenters include: Kelly W. Kent M.U.P.: Mr. Kent, Senior Program Manager with the Corporation for Supportive Housing's Strategic Partnership Division. Kelly also served as Associate Director of CSH's Indiana satellite office for eighteen months. In this role, he guided CSH's partnership with the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP) in its implementation of supportive housing goals developed in the Indianapolis Ten Year Plan to end homelessness. Prior to joining CSH in 2003, Kelly spent 7 years working in the affordable housing field providing federal contracting technical assistance through HUD to housing authorities throughout the country. He also spent a part of this time working in housing policy and program development in Kansas City, Missouri, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, California. Kelly completed his undergraduate work in African American Studies and his Master's in Urban Planning with a concentration in Real Estate Finance and Housing Policy. He attended the University of Kansas for both degree programs. Leon Winston: Mr. Winston is the Deputy Director of Swords to Plowshares, a San Francisco nonprofit that provides services to veterans in need, the majority of whom are homeless or marginally housed. He has been with this agency since 1995. He also served as interim Executive Director of Metropolitan Community Foundation, a San Francisco faith-based organization that provides a variety of services to homeless and disadvantaged adults and children. Mr. Winston has been appointed to the S.F. Mayor's Ten Year Planning Council to End Chronic Homelessness, Table and Content Leader for the California Governor's Ten Year Planning Body to Significantly Reduce Chronic Homelessness. He is also active with the San Francisco Continuum of Care. Philip E. Thomas, LCSW: Mr. Thomas is a licensed clinical social worker and supervisory coordinator for the Community Rehabilitation Section at the Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis. He has been with the Dept. of Veteran Affairs for over 16 years and has practiced for over 20 years in the area of community mental health. Expected Audience: HUD CoC Grantees, VA Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Grantees, recipients of Department of Labor Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program (HVRP) funds, and any other interested homeless veterans program affiliates. Headlines for the NASWA/CESER Workforce Bulletin - November 9, 2006:
Grant and Competitive Award Opportunities and NoticesFor additional information go to, visit the External Grant Opportunities page.Featured Opportunity:(none) State Grants(none) Federal Grants(none) Foundation Grants(none) Scholarships/Awards(none) Upcoming Meetings, Conferences and
Events
Workforce Florida Board and Related Meetings Schedule:For up-to-date WFI board meeting info please check the calendar at the WFI website. November 29, 2006 November 30, 2006 Other Meetings/Conferences/Events:
November 8 - 10, 2006 November 13-14, 2006 Nov. 30 - Dec. 2, 2006 December 2 – 5, 2006 December 4-7, 2006 Odds and EndsTop 10 Reasons to Hire Veterans. Here are the Top Ten reasons
to hire veterans from http://www.hirevetsfirst.gov. The website
features an "Employer Zone" with a military skills
translator, employer testimonials, contact information for
One Stop Career Centers, and other helpful information The VA Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
(CFBCI) hosts a
ind
Out How Your FBCO Can Get Involved The 8th annual Florida Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) application deadline is fast approaching. Fifty current high school sophomores and juniors who have disabilities will be selected as delegates for the forum. The YLF, which is co-sponsored by The Able Trust and the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, will take place July 19-22, 2007, in Tallahassee. It is designed to bring together young people with disabilities with leadership potential and help prepare them for the future. The YLF will include educational programs that cover topics such as the history of the disability movement, personal leadership plans, career opportunities and academic and community resources. Delegates will learn leadership by example through meetings with disability community leaders, business professionals and government dignitaries. In addition, social and recreational opportunities will enable delegates to network and learn from each other. Student delegates will reflect a diverse mix of disabilities, gender, geographic location and ethnicity. Applicants should demonstrate leadership skills, participation in extracurricular activities, community involvement and academic achievement. Applicants should have the ability to interact effectively with other students, adapt to new surroundings, follow an intense schedule of forum activities and demonstrate a willingness to participate in small and large group discussions. Selected student delegates must show proof of health insurance (private insurance, KidsCare, Medicaid acceptable). Delegates will be housed at Southgate Campus Centre, a private dormitory on the campus of Florida State University. Chaperones, medical attendants and security will be provided. There is no fee for delegates to attend the YLF. The Able Trust will pay all travel and living/meal expenses through corporate sponsorships and donations. Applications are due for this all-expense-paid leadership forum on Friday, November 17, 2006. For more information about the Florida Youth Leadership Forum, visit www.floridaylf.org. Job Seekers use both Print and Online Advertising - Job Offers Most Often Attributed to the Internet. Newswise — Seventy percent of all job seekers reported using newspapers and online ads to look for employment, The Conference Board reported today. Online and print ads were not mutually exclusive, with most job seekers using more than one method. But searching print and online ads ranked well above other job search methods such as networking with friends and colleagues (50 percent of job seekers) and other activities including using employment agencies (26 percent of job seekers). “The Internet has definitely become an established method of job search,” said June Shelp, Economist and Director, New Initiatives at The Conference Board, “but job seekers are still combing print ads as well.” The research shows that the Internet is being used for a variety of job search functions from gathering employer/job information (68 percent of job seekers), submitting resumes and applications (66 percent), to posting resumes on a website (42 percent) and signing up for email notifications (39 percent). This recent data on job search methods is based on a nationally representative sample of 5,000 households surveyed monthly for The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index and is conducted on behalf of The Conference Board by TNS. Among respondents who received a job offer, the largest percentage (38 percent) feels that their job offer resulted from their Internet search. About one-third attribute their job offer to networking with friends and colleagues (27 percent) and “other,” including employment agencies (30 percent). Newspapers were the least likely to be cited as the source of a job offer with 24 percent of respondents citing print ads. Just under half of the job seekers in this survey reported receiving a job offer. Respondents could include more than one source in their answer to the question on the source of their job offer. On the advertisers’ side, jobs in a variety of occupations are now posted on job boards and the Internet sites of newspapers. Management jobs, along with healthcare practitioners and business and financial operations are among the leading occupational categories with online advertised vacancies. Over 1200 Internet job boards are tracked monthly in The Conference Board Help-Wanted OnLine Data Series™, which now publishes monthly data for 50 states, 52 major metropolitan areas as well as occupational data. Non-partisan and not-for-profit, The Conference Board is the world’s leading business membership and research organization. The Conference Board produces The Consumer Confidence Index and the Leading Economic Indicators for the U.S. and other major nations. These barometers can have a major impact on the financial markets. The Conference Board also produces a wide range of authoritative reports on corporate governance and ethics, human resources and diversity, executive compensation and corporate citizenship. Our conference and council programs bring together thousands of senior executives each year to share insights and learn from each other. Visit The Conference Board’s award-winning website at http://www.conference-board.org. New NCES Report: Where Are They Now? A Description of 1992-93 Bachelor's Degree Recipients 10 Years Later. Using data from the 2003 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B:93/03), this report provides an overview of the status of 1992–93 college graduates 10 years after graduation. The report presents highlights of these college graduates’ lives in 2003 in five areas—education after the bachelor’s degree, labor force participation, opinions about their undergraduate education, family status, and civic participation. In addition to presenting a basic profile of graduates’ lives in 2003, the report is also intended as a broad introduction to the kinds of data available in B&B:93/03. A table compendium with five sections corresponding to the five areas above provides additional detail about how graduate characteristics are associated with the highlighted outcomes as well as related experiences in each area. The estimates in this report represent about 1.2 million bachelor’s degree completers from 1992–93. To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007159 Quote for the Week:“Leadership
is the art of getting someone else to do something you
want done General Dwight D. Eisenhower |
