Workforce Florida Weekly Update 6-28-07

CONTENTS
The State & Regions
The Nation
Grant and Competitive Award Opportunities
Upcoming Meetings, Conferences & Events
Odds & Ends

The State & Regions

Two Florida Workforce Leaders honored by Florida Economic Development Council. Workforce Florida, Inc. President Curtis C. Austin is the recipient of the inaugural Toni Jennings Workforce Development Professional of the Year Award presented by the Florida Economic Development Council, Inc. (FEDC) in cooperation with Florida’s workforce system. The honor recognizes the former Lieutenant Governor’s exceptional leadership in revamping Florida’s workforce system to respond to critical workforce needs and advance local, regional and state economic development. Austin was hired by Enterprise Florida, Inc., to direct the workforce development efforts of the state in 1998. When Governor Jeb Bush and the Florida Legislature combined the state’s workforce development system and welfare transition efforts to create Workforce Florida in 2000, Austin was selected as the inaugural president. Also receiving an award at the FEDC’s 2007 conference was Workforce Florida, Inc., Board member Sharon Watley, President of General Scientific Manufacturing Inc. in Panama City. Watley is one of nine regional recipients of the Richard McLaughlin Economic Development Volunteer of the Year Award. She was recognized for her outstanding volunteer achievements in advancing economic development in her community and statewide.

Governor Crist Announces Theodore Roosevelt IV as Keynote Speaker at Florida Summit on Global Climate Change. TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist announced Theodore Roosevelt IV as a keynote speaker at the Serve to Preserve Florida Summit on Global Climate Change. Previously, Governor Crist has announced California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as other keynote speakers. “It is truly a privilege to announce that one of our nation’s foremost conservationists will join us in Miami next month at the Florida Summit on Global Climate Change,” Governor Crist said. “Ted’s wealth of experience and extensive knowledge of environmental issues will help us engage in meaningful dialogue about ways to address the challenges of global climate change.” The Florida Climate Change Summit will engage state, regional, national and international leaders, as well as significant members of the business and environmental communities, in a discussion to explore opportunities for advancing the global climate change agenda and for adopting specific climate action plans. Held at the Intercontinental Miami Hotel, the two-day conference will bring experts on global climate change to Miami on July 12-13, 2007. “Hearing from Governor Schwarzenegger, Robert Kennedy Jr. and Ted Roosevelt during the course of two days will be amazing,” Governor Crist said. “All three of these speakers will provide tremendous insight into our developing strategies for bringing Florida to the forefront of the global climate change discussion.” Governor Crist invites interested individuals, organizations and media to register for the conference at http://www.MyFloridaClimate.com.

New Workforce Central Florida Initiative Created to “Recruit, Train and Retain” K-12 Public School Math and Science Teachers. ORLANDO – WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA (WCF) has developed a series of new programs designed to partner with the region’s education industry to help meet its goals for employee recruitment, training and retention in the fields of math and science. Based on WCF’s recent State of the Workforce survey, 84 percent of employers surveyed felt that the most critical workforce issue for employers in Central Florida is improving public K-12 education. With this initiative, WCF’s goal is to increase the number of quality teachers, decrease teacher turnover due to sub-par content knowledge and increase the feeling of support felt by science and math teachers. WCF has developed a plan that will fund over $200,000 in strategies throughout Central Florida. Focus groups will be utilized to ensure the plan’s goals are feasible, necessary and attainable. WCF will create and fund a “Leaders in Science Academy” that will train elementary school science teachers in Inquiry Science Best Practices. Delivered in partnership with the University of Central Florida’s College of Optics & Photonics, this training program will be geared to increase teacher’s knowledge base of Sunshine State Standards and provide them with the ability to create lessons driven by experiential learning. The “Leaders in Science Academy” will train approximately 200 teachers and 200 administrators from Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake and Sumter Counties. Preference is given to elementary school’s whose fifth grade teachers apply as a team. Training will take place from September through March with workshops that place heavy emphasis on inquiry best practices and teacher reflection. WCF is accepting applications from schools now! WCF will also support math and science labs by awarding $15,000 worth of durable supplies such as working microscopes, digital scales, triple-beam balance scales, test tubes and petri dishes, etc. to one elementary school, one middle school and one high school. Applications are currently being accepted for schools interested in applying. Labs are projected to be in place by December 2007. Aiming to build excitement in math and science careers among students at the elementary school level, WCF will roll out an “Engineering Roadshow” in Central Florida with participation from engineers representing such companies as Northrup-Grumman, Harris Corporation, Lockheed Martin, Walt Disney World, United Space Alliance and NASA. This field day format program will provide children with hands on experience and is a long-term strategy to build future workforce in this field. The program also provides math and science teachers with industry contacts and mentors. A minimum of five elementary schools will be chosen to participate in the program that is anticipated to be held following FCAT exams in April 2008. These programs are just three examples of what WCF will implement during the next year. “We hope that these programs will not only help to increase the needs of the workforce, but also aid in the increase of FCAT math and science scores,” said WCF President & CEO Gary Earl. For more information, go to www.workforcecentralflorida.com.

Thousands of Florida High School Students Register for Advanced Placement Summer Camps.
TALLAHASSEE – Thousands of Florida high school students take a proactive approach to their education by enrolling in the newly created Student Academic Summer Camps. These summer camps were established for students entering Advanced Placement (AP) courses in the fall and are intended to challenge students academically and prepare them for the advanced courses they will be undertaking in the new academic year. “These numbers show us that Florida’s students are ready to take a proactive position in their preparation for the tough coursework that Advanced Placement courses require,” said Education Commissioner Jeanine Blomberg. “By readying our students with knowledge in the summer, we help them realize their full potential in the fall.” This is the first year the College Board Florida Partnership and Department of Education have offered the Student Academic Summer Camps and, to date, 2,015 students have registered in the 60 locations across the state. Some camps will run for one week and others for up to four weeks. Upon completion, students will be recognized by their schools in an assembly set for the fall. Teachers also have opportunities to develop their skills during the summer months. Advanced Placement Summer Institutes (APSI) is an all-expense-paid program available through the College Board Florida Partnership that focuses on subject-specific professional development opportunities. The institutes provide teachers with the support and training needed to teach AP courses and to utilize Pre-AP teaching strategies. Registration numbers for this year have exceeded expectations with more than 1,100 teachers registered to attend. Florida leads the nation in AP student participation. In 2006, more than one third of Florida’s public high school students participated in AP – well above the national average. That same year, nearly 20 percent of the public high school seniors graduated passing one or more AP exams, ranking Florida seventh in the nation.
The College Board Florida Partnership is a statewide collaborative effort involving all of Florida's schools and districts. Sponsored by the Florida Department of Education, the partnership offers professional development for district and school administrators, teachers, and counselors. The partnership assists educators in aligning middle and high school, as well as university teaching and learning to prepare students for the challenging studies that ultimately lead to college success.

The Nation

Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Announces $65 Million for Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development. WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao recently announced the U.S. Department of Labor’s third generation of Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) regions. Each of the 13 self-identified areas successfully competed for $5 million to be awarded over a three-year period. “The WIRED program recognizes that local economies often transcend geographical boundaries,” said Secretary Chao. “These grants are catalysts to mobilizing the diverse array of stakeholders in a community to focus on developing the human talent that will be key to any successful regional economic plan.” The department launched WIRED in late 2005 with a competition among the nation’s governors. In February 2006, 13 competitively selected regions—including Florida’s Great Northwest, which is a 16-county region in North Florida—were awarded a total of $195 million to transform their economies. In January 2007, 13 additional regions, which also were among the best nationally, were presented awards to reposition their regional economies. The most recent announcement launches the third generation of selected regions. Generation III WIRED projects are as varied and unique as the regions themselves. For example, rural Minnesota will use its know-how and ingenuity in agriculture to grow emerging bioscience and renewable energy industries. Central New Mexico will combine the capabilities of industry, research and development at its universities, and national laboratories to become a focal point for clean energy and advanced manufacturing. “These 13 regions join 26 others in transforming their regions into innovative, entrepreneurial economies, and preparing their workers with the education and skills necessary to be successful in the 21st century global marketplace,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. “We are already encouraged by the results of the WIRED strategic partnerships, demonstrating that talent development can drive economic transformation.” WIRED’s Generation III regions include: five counties in central New Jersey; 25 cities and counties in southeastern Virginia; 15 counties in central Kentucky; 18 counties in southeastern Mississippi; 12 counties in south central and southwest Wisconsin; 36 counties in south central and western Minnesota; 14 counties in southeast Missouri;10 counties in south central Kansas; eight counties in central New Mexico; four counties in southern Arizona; eight counties in south central Idaho; seven counties in greater Portland and Salem, Ore.; and five counties in Washington’s Pacific Mountain region. For more information, go to http://www.doleta.gov/wired/.

Career Technical Education Critical for Success in Today's Economy. WASHINGTON – Today's economy requires that high school graduates possess skills and knowledge dramatically different from a generation ago. Responding to this changing landscape, and in order to provide students with multiple pathways to academic and career success, the NGA Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) has released a new Issue Brief titled Retooling Career Technical Education that provides states with strategies to reorient career technical programs towards high-wage/high-skill industries. Whereas traditional academic coursework satisfies the intellectual curiosity of some students, others require a more hands-on, applied approach to learning. Once known as vocational education, today's Career Technical Education (CTE) takes programs that previously taught a defined set of skills such as woodworking and modifies them to prepare students for a range of careers in the new economy, which require strong applied skills in such areas as science, business, and math. Auto shop classes, for example, no longer just teach the mechanics of how a car runs but also discuss the physics and theory behind combustible power generation, wind resistance and engine efficiency. The overarching belief of modern CTE programs is that the skills and abilities students need to succeed in college and careers are virtually identical. Recent research shows that CTE succeeds in engaging and motivating students by offering them real-world learning opportunities, leading to lower dropout rates and greater earnings for high school graduates.
" Governors recognize that CTE programs can offer another avenue towards academic and career success," said John Thomasian, director of the NGA Center. "When paired with a rigorous academic platform, CTE programs make learning more relevant and engaging by better aligning with students' interests and career skill needs." The NGA Center Issue Brief documents findings from the latest research on CTE and summarizes policies of leading states. The Issue Brief also offers strategic recommendations states can follow to reorient their CTE programs around a more demanding academic experience, including:

• Connecting CTE programs to economic growth industries;
• Including skills that employers desire in state standards, assessment, and accountability systems;
• Basing CTE curricula around state standards;
• Designing quality-control measures to promote more rigorous programs;
• Requiring high school students to declare a course of study; and,
• Eliminating duplicate coursework between high school and postsecondary systems.
  To learn more about career technical education and NGA's work redesigning American high schools, visit http://www.nga.org/center/highschools.

NASWA Workforce Bulletin – June 22, 2007 Headlines:
VIRGINIA SENATOR REQUESTS ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR UI PROGRAM OPERATIONS
NASWA HOLDING WEBINARS ON JOBCENTRAL AND VETCENTRAL SERVICES
CALIFORNIA JOINS NEW NATIONAL LABOR EXCHANGE SYSTEM
2007 UI NATIONAL TAX CONFERENCE SET FOR AUGUST

Access the complete articles at: http://www.workforceatm.org/sections/members/bulletin/
bulltemp.cfm?results_art_filename=bu062207.htm.

Grant and Competitive Award Opportunities and Notices

For current information, visit the External Grant Opportunities page.

Featured Opportunity:

‘WIN - Workplace Investment Now’ Grant Solicitation. Repeat The purpose of this solicitation is to seek grant applications from regional workforce boards for innovative, employed worker training programs that promote outcomes for employed workers such as a) job retention, b) earnings gains, and, c) career advancement for eligible employees; and that promote outcomes that allow employers to remain competitive and perhaps even expand their businesses such as, a) reducing employee turnover, b) improving productivity, and, c) upgrading skills of the existing workforce. A benefit for the economy can be job creation. ‘Eligible employees’ as used here will include the following:

• Current and former temporary cash assistance (TCA) recipients;
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) eligible families earning less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and at risk of welfare dependency; and
• Workforce Investment Act (WIA) eligible incumbent workers.

‘ Targeted employees’ as used here includes groups that normally have barriers to employment and, when they are employed, experience difficulties retaining employment and achieving advancement. These groups are persons with disabilities, veterans, homeless, mature workers and the working poor. Projects that are submitted in response to this grant solicitation may target all employed workers but also are expected to incorporate strategies that address one or more of these underserved groups.
All training strategies must target occupations on the 2006-07 or 2007-08 regional Targeted Occupations Lists (TOLs). All training providers must either be on the region’s eligible training provider list or must be provided and certified by the employer. The actual ‘training’ provided, however, can be short-term, skills upgrade or customized training and does not need to be the postsecondary, vocational training program linked to the occupations on the region’s TOL and for which local formula training dollars are used. Deadline for submission is July 23, 2007 5:00 PM, Eastern. Access the Grant Solicitation at: http://www.workforceflorida.com/wages/wfi/rfp/index.htm#grant.

‘Employ Florida Banner Centers’ RFP. Repeat A critical component of Florida’s economic development efforts – that is the startup, expansion, retention, and recruitment of high-value businesses – is the capacity of the education and workforce systems to work as partners in order to efficiently and effectively deliver skilled workers to valued industries as needed and to provide upgrades to training as markets or technology change. The skill sets that the workforce system promotes through the training it funds must therefore be industry-driven, readily available and adaptable to ever-changing market needs. Enterprise Florida, Inc., the state’s primary economic development policy organization, and the Governor’s Office of Tourism Trade & Economic Development have identified key industries that merit special focus and attention to further grow and diversify the state’s economy. The idea of “Employ Florida Banner Centers” is to further solidify and strengthen partnerships between the business community, public and private education providers and the public workforce system to coordinate and focus on: a) curriculum development and curriculum standards; b) educational research; c) incubating spin-off business development opportunities; and, d) generating a pipeline of skilled workers – from entry level to advanced – including continuous skills upgrade training as needed by the industry. The Employ Florida Banner Centers will utilize continuing industry involvement and input to achieve the primary goal of developing skill sets for entry level and advanced jobs and also for skills upgrades for existing workers. The Employ Florida Banner Centers will function as a resource for all educational institutions in the state and will be expected to provide leadership in the on-going process of keeping Florida’s workforce competitive in the identified industries. This initiative is limited to the following industry sectors: a) information technology and b) alternative energy. WFI will accept proposals from Florida public or licensed private educational or vocational training providers ONLY. The following organizations are therefore eligible to submit proposals –

• Florida school districts or school district technical centers; or,
• Florida private vocational schools that have a current license issued by the Commission on Independent Education; or,
• Florida community colleges; or,
• Florida public universities; or,
• Florida private colleges and universities.

A consortium of other organizations but headed by one of the above organizations may submit a proposal. However, no other organizations may be the lead organization submitting a proposal; WFI will contract with the lead organization. . Individual awards will be limited to not more than $500,000 per project. The maximum amount that can be requested in any proposal, therefore, is $500,000. Deadline for receipt of proposals - July 27, 2007 5:00 PM, Eastern. Access the RFP at: http://www.workforceflorida.com/wages/wfi/rfp/BANNER_Center_2007-08_Final.doc.

‘Business Employment Solutions and Training for 2007-08’ - BEST III’. Repeat! WFI has funded twenty BEST projects over the last two program years. Regions are therefore familiar with the basic intent of this approach – a multi-faceted, cross council approach to develop and implement regional projects that serve youth and first-time job entrants, persons transitioning from public assistance to meaningful employment and the working poor, and employed workers needing skills upgrade training to allow their employers to retain or expand their businesses. NOTE: Although this is the third iteration of BEST, some changes have been made due to the new policy council structure of WFI and lessons learned from previous BEST projects. Only regional workforce boards (RWBs) may apply for these grants. Due date: July 18, 2007; 5:00 PM, Eastern. For the full grant solicitation go to:
http://www.workforceflorida.com/wages/wfi/rfp/index.htm.

‘Replication of the CHOICE Career Institute’. Repeat! The purpose of this Grant Solicitation is to seek applications from regional workforce boards for projects that replicate the Community High Okaloosa Academies for Career Education (CHOICE) developed and implemented by the Okaloosa County School District in school year 2003-04. This is Phase III of CHOICE replication which was started under a similar grant solicitation issued in November 2004. The principle tenets of CHOICE are now embodied in the 2007 Florida Career and Professional Education Act, as it was passed as Senate Bill 1232, which provides a statewide planning partnership between business and education communities to expand and retain high-value industry and sustain a vibrant state economy. These funds are to help school districts implement the requirements established in the new law. Please refer to SB 1232 for entire content of the Florida Career and Professional Education Act. Only regional workforce boards (RWBs) may apply for these grants. This initiative, however, is intended to be a local, collaborative effort between the regional workforce board and the following mandatory partners:
a) the local school board(s), including the high school or vo-tech center principals where the CHOICE career academy will be started/expanded (see NOTE below);
b) local businesses or business groups in the area to provide expertise, support and financial assistance;
c) a partnership with a post-secondary institution (community college, university or technical training institute) that can verify that dual credit is being earned by students enrolled in career academies; and,
d) local economic development organizations.
Due date: July 25, 2007; 5:00 PM, Eastern. For the full grant solicitation go to:
http://www.workforceflorida.com/wages/wfi/rfp/index.htm.

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.

July 18, 2007
Workforce Florida Executive Committee Teleconference
9:00am - 10:00am
Contact: Peggy Dransfield pdransfield@workforceflorida.com.

August 22, 2007
Executive Directors Meeting (Partners)
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Location TBD
Contact: Peggy Dransfield pdransfield@workforceflorida.com.

August 23, 2007
Board of Directors & Council Meetings
9:00am - 4:00pm
Location TBD
Contact: Peggy Dransfield pdransfield@workforceflorida.com.

Other Meetings/Conferences/Events:

July 17-19, 2007
Workforce Innovations 2007
“ Beyond Boundaries”
Kansas City (MO)
www.WorkforceInnovations.org

August 22-24, 2007
Florida Association for Persons in Supported Employment Annual State Conference
Walt Disney World Hilton
http://www.flapse.org

Odds and Ends

Family Caregiving Valued at $350 Billion. The economic impact of informal caregiving on the U.S. economy is massive according to a new AARP Public Policy Institute study, “Valuing the Invaluable: A New Look at the Economic Value of Family Caregiving.” The study found that the contributions of family caregivers often go unnoticed, but in fact, their contributions are the foundation of the nation's long-term care system with an estimated economic value of $350 billion in 2006. The AARP study showed serious economic consequences for caregivers in the workforce. As caregivers are forced to take time off and work partial days to care for their loved ones, the result is lower wages, a lack of job security, and loss or reduction of employment benefits like health insurance, retirement savings, and Social Security. And these losses come at a time when income and benefits are critical for the caregiver and their family. For those with the most intense level of caregiving responsibility, 92 percent report major changes in their working patterns; 83 percent arrive late, leave early or take time off during the day; 41 percent report taking a leave of absence; and 37 percent report going from full-time to part-time to adjust for their care giving responsibilities. Most informal caregivers are women who are employed full or part-time. Nearly one-fifth of all U.S. workers are caregivers (19 percent), and the productivity losses to U.S. businesses associated with caregiving are estimated to be as high as $33 billion a year. The complete study can be accessed at: http://www.aarp.org/research/housing-mobility/caregiving/ib82_caregiving.html.

Charitable Giving Reached $295 Billion in 2006, Report Finds. U.S. charitable giving reached an estimated $295 billion in 2006, a 4.2-percent increase before inflation over the revised estimate of $283 billion for 2005, a new report from the Giving USA Foundation finds. According to Giving USA 2007, giving by individuals, which accounts for 75.6 percent of all giving, increased 4.4 percent in 2006, to an estimated $222.9 billion, while foundation grant-making rose 12.6 percent (9.1 percent, adjusted for inflation), to $36.5 billion. The New York City-based Foundation Center, which tracks giving by foundations, attributed the increase in foundation giving to growth in the number of foundations and a strong stock market. "The stock market rose more than 10 percent adjusted for inflation in 2006," said Eugene R. Tempel, executive director of the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, which researched and wrote Giving USA. "Going back to 1990, giving rose, on average, about one-third as fast as the stock market, so 2006 is right on target." At the same time, contributions from corporations and corporate foundations decreased 7.6 percent (-10.5 percent, adjusted for inflation) to an estimated $12.7 billion, reflecting the extraordinary giving for disaster relief in 2005 as well as the slow-down in the growth rate of non-disaster-related corporate giving. More information is available at: http://www.givingusa.org/.

Quote for the Week:

“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security
will not have, nor do they deserve, either one. ”

Benjamin Franklin

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