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Workforce Florida Weekly Update 7-19-07 |
CONTENTS The State & RegionsWorkforce Florida Board appoints Larry Champion Interim President. The Workforce Florida, Inc. Board of Directors has appointed Larry Champion as Interim President. He has held the position of Executive Vice President for Operations and Treasurer since 2000 — the year Workforce Florida, the state’s workforce policy-setting and oversight Board was created. Champion will serve as the interim leader until a successor to inaugural President Curtis Austin is named. Austin was chosen as Workforce Florida’s first president and CEO in 2000. Austin’s last day was July 15. Champion has had a long and distinguished public-service career. At Workforce Florida, he oversees the day-to-day operations of the Board and is primarily responsible for coordinating the Board’s financial accountability and oversight responsibilities in concert with the Agency for Workforce Innovation. He has served previously as Vice President for Administration for Workforce Development under Enterprise Florida, Inc. With more than 35 years of combined professional and management experience, he also has held leadership positions in the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, now known as the Department of Children and Families. The search to name a new permanent leader of Workforce Florida is under way. U.S. Department of Labor youth-related grants advance education and employment connections for troubled youth - more than $41 million awarded for collaborations with state, local and other programs – Florida receives awards in three program areas. WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced the award of six sets of youth-related grants to invest in the education and career skills of troubled youth nationwide. “These $41 million in grants will help at-risk youth access valuable education and skills training which will put them on a path to job success,” said Secretary Chao. “Investing in a brighter future for these young people and enabling them to access opportunities can make a world of difference for them, their families and their communities.” The Labor Department’s overall youth vision addresses the nation’s most persistent workforce crises through the implementation of collaborative approaches to youth development modeled on the department’s Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Initiative. The grants respond to the 30 percent dropout rate among high school students and are aimed at providing them alternative educational opportunities and improved employment pathways. “In regions throughout the country, high tech, high growth industries are demanding skilled workers who have the education and know-how to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. “Seed money provided today will help young people reconnect with educational opportunities and prepare themselves for rewarding careers.” These grants are part of the department’s ongoing response to the 2003 White House Task Force Report on Disadvantaged Youth. They focus on preparing America’s neediest young people, especially dropouts or those at risk of dropping out, to succeed in the 21st century economy. By engaging state, local and federal partners, the department will not only help educate young people but also help build pipelines of skilled workers that meet the demands of the country’s growing industries. For more information on Department of Labor youth programs, please visit: www.doleta.gov/youth_services. Program descriptions and lists of awardees for programs Florida is receiving awards for (Florida awardees highlighted).
Governor Crist Appoints Falconetti and McCarty to the Enterprise Florida Board of Directors. TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today appointed John L. Falconetti of Jacksonville and Kevin L. McCarty of Delray Beach to the Enterprise Florida Inc. Board of Directors. “John’s varied experience operating and managing his family business will be an asset to the board of directors, said Governor Crist. “I have no doubt his dedication and commitment to his local community will enable him to serve all Floridians in this new role.” Falconetti, 39, of Jacksonville is president of the Drummond Press, a commercial printing firm. He previously worked in various positions at the Drummond Press, including sales representative, vice president of marketing and later as vice president. He is a member of the Jacksonville Public Library Board of Directors. Falconetti graduated from the University of the South in 1989 and holds a private pilot’s license. I am looking forward to working with the other members of board to help develop the strategic vision for Florida’s economic development,” said Falconetti. “I am honored and humbled by the opportunity.” cCarty, 58, of Delray Beach is the managing director of Bear Stearns & Company Inc. He served as a member of the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, the Delray Beach Housing Authority and the South Florida Water Management District. McCarty graduated from the University of Florida in 1971. “Kevin has been actively involved with local, county and state government for over 20 years,” said Governor Crist. “He has a great appreciation for the significance and importance of our state’s many valuable resources and will be a great addition to the board of directors.” “Florida is truly the best place to live work and raise a family, and I am grateful to Governor Crist for the opportunity to serve our state in this capacity,” said McCarty. The Enterprise Florida Board of Directors develops and helps coordinate a strategic plan for Florida’s economic development efforts. The Board also secures funding for the programs and activities of Enterprise Florida Inc., from federal, state, local and private sources. Falconetti succeeds Julie K. Hilton, and McCarty succeeds Susan N. Story. Both Falconetti and McCarty are appointed for terms beginning July 18, 2007, and ending July 1, 2011. These appointments are subject to confirmation of the Florida Senate. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Minimum Wage Poster. Every employer of employees subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act's minimum wage provisions must post, and keep posted, a notice explaining the Act in a conspicuous place in all of their establishments so as to permit employees to readily read it. The content of the notice is prescribed by the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor. An approved copy of the minimum wage poster is made available for informational purposes or for employers to use as posters. Effective July 24, 2007, the federal minimum wage for covered non-exempt employees will be $5.85 per hour. The minimum wage increases to $6.55 per hour effective July 24, 2008; and $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. For more information go to: http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/posters/flsa.htm. Information on obtaining the updated Federal Minimum Wage poster, as well as other required posters and notices, is also available on the AWI internet site at: http://www.floridajobs.org/PDG/posters.html. Bruce Ferguson, Jr., President of WorkSource, testified before the House Education & Labor Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness on June 28th in Washington, D.C. Access the complete hearing webcast at: http://edworkforce.house.gov/hearings/hellc062807.shtml. Access the Ferguson’s testimony at: http://edworkforce.house.gov/testimony/062807BruceFergusonTestimony.pdf. Workforce panel receives training grant. MANATEE - The Suncoast Workforce Board is one of only two recipients in Florida to be awarded a special supplemental grant of $464,380 from the U.S. Department of Labor. Project Return monies are used for the Suncoast Workforce Board's employment and training initiative targeting juvenile offenders. These new funds will be used for critical academic remediation of program participants. Project Return is offered at the regional offices of Jobs ETC in Bradenton, Sarasota and Venice. For more information, contact Fedora Ford-Kendricks at (941) 714-7449, ext. 177. http://www.bradenton.com/business/story/100182.html. Recruiting Qualified Job Seekers Made Easier Through WorkNet Wednesday. CLEARWATER (July 10, 2007) – After listening to the voice of business, WorkNet Pinellas is moving forward to help employers better access qualified job seekers in a candidate-driven labor market. The result is “WorkNet Wednesday,” a monthly job fair campaign that will provide an efficient and inexpensive way for employers to recruit candidates for multiple positions. The regional job fair events will be held on the second Wednesday of each month at locations that are convenient for West Central Florida businesses and job seekers. Join other area employers who will take advantage of this opportunity to meet hundreds of job seekers face-to-face at these regularly scheduled events. Employers involved in WorkNet Wednesday will benefit from high exposure through a strong promotional campaign across multiple mediums. Participating employers will also have access to a dedicated recruiting staff. Prior to each event, WorkNet recruiters will contact qualified job seekers directly to promote attendance and build awareness of your company’s recruiting needs. Sarah Whitney-Mead, Vice President of Sales for WorkNet Pinellas, explains, “One of the keys to WorkNet Wednesday is our understanding of the needs of our regional employers. By offering regularly scheduled job fairs, WorkNet Wednesday gives employers and job seekers twelve great networking opportunities each year.” The WorkNet Wednesday kick-off will be held August 8, 2007 at the Hilton Carillon Park. To register and view a complete listing of WorkNet Wednesday job fair events, please visit www.worknetpinellas.org and click on “Job Fairs.” WorkNet Pinellas is the Workforce Investment Board, Region 14, for Pinellas County, Florida. WorkNet Pinellas develops strategies to target the needs of employers then matches them to job seekers across the employment spectrum, from assisting those seeking entry level positions in the workforce to recruiting workers to fill highly skilled management positions. WorkNet Pinellas is a member of the Employ Florida statewide network of workforce services and resources. To locate any of WorkNet’s Pinellas County One Stop Centers visit www.worknetpinellas.org or call (727) 524-4344. WorkNet is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities by calling TTY/TDD 711. The NationThe Government Accountability Office (GAO) released the following testimony: Workforce Investment Act: Additional Actions Would Further Improve the Workforce System. For the full report GAO-07-1051T, June 28: http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1051T. Highlights are located at: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d071051thigh.pdf. NASWA Workforce Bulletin – July 13, 2007 Headlines:
Grant and Competitive Award Opportunities and NoticesFor 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:
‘
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. ‘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 –
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. ‘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: 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. August 22, 2007 August 23, 2007 Other Meetings/Conferences/Events:
August 22-24, 2007 September 24-26, 2007 Odds and EndsJob Boards Eye Big Pool of Small Business (by Gina Ruiz, Workforce Management). The shift is a drastic departure from the time when big-name, high-profile clients got the VIP treatment and pursuing small employers was merely corporate rhetoric. Monster’s Talent Management Suite is a powerful tool. The software allows executives to manage a broad range of complex HR activities—applicant tracking, onboarding, employee development, performance management and salary analysis—from a convenient, centralized command system. What’s turning heads, however, isn’t so much the platform’s functionality, but the price tag. Subscription fees range from $5,000 to $10,000—a bargain, considering employers generally spend $100,000 to $200,000 to get this type of sophisticated system from an assortment of vendors, says Mike Madden, senior vice president of product at Monster. The affordability of Monster’s Talent Management Suite is no discount-bin special or a gaffe by the billing department. It’s part of a broader, calculated strategy to go after smaller employers. The so-called Big Three job boards—Monster Worldwide, CareerBuilder and Yahoo HotJobs—are rolling out lucrative products at affordable prices for companies with workforces of 1,000 to 5,000 people. The shift is a drastic departure from the time when big, high-profile clients got the VIP treatment and smaller employers were largely ignored, no matter what the corporate rhetoric. Pursuing small and medium-size companies makes sense, since many employers in the limited pool of Fortune 1,000 companies are already locked into deals with job boards. The largely untapped small and medium-size markets could provide billions of dollars in new revenue, job board executives say. With stakes so high, job boards are aggressively developing targeted products and pricing structures that cater to the needs of smaller clients. The industry is also encouraged with this strategy as it has proved to be highly successful for other HR technology vendors, such as applicant tracking system companies. Industry experts say this strategy brings together the best of both worlds, generating economic growth for job boards while putting cutting-edge technology and recruiting tactics into the hands of smaller employers. For the complete article go to: http://www.workforce.com/section/06/feature/24/98/31/index_printer.html. Labor Day Sept. 3, 2007: US Census facts available for features. America's Job Bank: A Corporate Solution. As America's Job
Bank closes, the business community offers sensible alternatives
that could help employers satisfy federal guidelines. Quote for the Week:“What gets measured gets done.” Ronald Stroman, managing director of the Office of Opportunity and Inclusiveness at GAO |
