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Workforce Florida Weekly Update 8-15-07 |
CONTENTS The State & RegionsWorkforce Partners and Stakeholders to Discuss “Designing the Future and Delivering Better Solutions for Talent and Business”. A year ago, Workforce Florida Chairman Katherine E. Wilson and the Workforce Florida Board of Directors began a dialogue supported by the Florida Workforce Development Association to recognize the successes of Florida’s system to date and begin to plot its future course considering what, if any, changes may be needed to weather the workforce challenges ahead. In January, Governor Charlie Crist began his executive leadership of the state with an inauguration pledge to ensure “Florida is open for business, that our citizens do not just have jobs, but good jobs.” To date, Florida is seven months into the transition led by Governor Crist and during the 2007 regular session legislation was introduced to make changes to the seven-year-old Workforce Innovation Act. All of these events have culminated with plans for a series of statewide meetings to hear first-hand from stakeholders (workforce, education, economic development, community, etc.) about whether and what changes should be made to the Workforce Innovation Act (Chapter 445) to ensure Florida’s workforce system maintains its record of innovation and responsiveness to the needs of businesses and workers to keep our economy strong. The first forum will be held on August 23rd, 9:00am – 12:30pm, at Gallery One Fort Lauderdale-A DoubleTree Guest Suites Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale. To learn more details and when and where future forums will be held please visit: www.WorkforceFlorida.com. Governor Crist Applauds Green Lodging Program ~ Announces launch of Green Lodging Web site. ORLANDO – Governor Charlie Crist today joined Secretary Michael W. Sole to applaud the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Lodging Program and to launch the Green Lodging Program Web site at the Hilton in the Walt Disney World Resort. “The Green Lodging Program is an example of our firm commitment to reducing the effects of global climate change in our great state,” said Governor Crist. “I am grateful to our corporate partners for leading by example as we work to adopt cost-saving green practices that decrease energy use and conserve natural resources.” This month, the Green Lodging Program will designate seven additional hotels, including the first in Tallahassee and the first two in Jacksonville. The new designations raise the total to 33 hotels, with 58 others currently in the reviewing process. Since Governor Crist’s executive order initiating state energy-use policies, 25 hotels have begun the designation process. “These designated hotels and motels reduce water use, conserve energy and decrease their solid waste, three steps we should all make a priority,” said Secretary Michael W. Sole. “The success of the Green Lodging Program is evidence that there is a demand for green businesses, and every new designation is a new opportunity for Floridians to be better environmental stewards.” Governor Crist signed Executive Order 07-126 on July 13, at Serve to Preserve A Florida Summit on Global Climate Change. Beginning January 1, 2008, the executive order requires state agencies and departments to hold meetings and conferences at hotels participating in DEP’s Green Lodging Program whenever possible. The Hilton in the Walt Disney World Resort uses ENERGYSTAR appliances to conserve energy and has implemented a comprehensive recycling program for paper, cardboard, aluminum and steel cans, magazines, plastic, ink cartridges, kitchen grease, fluorescent lamps and soaps. In addition, the property installed low-flow toilets, faucets, and showerheads, as well as charcoal air filters to reduce heating and cooling costs. For more information on the Florida Green Lodging Program, please visit: www.dep.state.fl.us/greenlodging. The Suncoast Workforce Board applauds MTI and its students for breaking a national record (from Suncoast’s Developments Newsletter – 8/13/07). Students from Manatee Technical Institute (MTI) walked away with 74 medals in a national SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference held in July. This is the fourth year in a row that MTI won more medals at the competition than any other school in the nation! Each MTI student who received a medal also received a scholarship to attend MTI the next school year ($500 for gold, $250 for silver, and $125 for bronze). SkillsUSA is an organization that serves teachers and high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. The championships, which began in 1967, showcase the best career and technical students across the nation. Contests begin locally and continue throughout state and national levels. To date, the championship has grown to over 5,000 students from 50 different states, competing in 87 different trades, technical and leadership fields. Only each state’s gold medalist is eligible to compete at the national level. “The day of competition is the largest day’s single contribution from business and industry to education,” said Dr. Mary Cantrell, Director of MTI. One Stop Workforce Connection to Host Levy On-Site Recruiting Fair. The One Stop Workforce Connection will host the Levy County On-Site Recruiting Fair on August 21st from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The event will be held at the Bronson Workforce Office, located at 9030 NE Hwy 27A in Bronson. Career seekers will meet with a Workforce Representative and apply on site for various employment opportunities in Levy County. Some of the represented companies are as follows: Capital City Bank, Monterey Boats, May Construction, Levy County School Board and JW Boyd Construction. Candidates are asked to pre-register for the event at www.clmworkforce.com in the Calendar of Events section. If you cannot attend but would more information about the One Stop Workforce Connection, you may do so by calling 352-840-5700 in Marion County, or Toll Free 1-800-434-JOBS. Any business interested in recruiting at the on-site fair should contact Cathy Roche at 352-873-7950 Ext. 2205 or register online at www.clmworkforce.com in the Calendar of Events section. For more information, contact: Blaire Peterson, CLM Workforce Connection at bpeterson@clmworkforce.com. The One Stop Workforce Connection, a member of the Employ Florida network of workforce services and resources, is funded by and a program of CLM Workforce Connection...Employment solutions that work for business. Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. Workforce welcomes people with disabilities. If you need accommodations please call your local Workforce office or (352) 840-5700 ext. 1278. Florida Relay users please dial 711. The NationU.S. Census Bureau Launches New Economic Census Website. The Census Bureau has launched a new website to help businesses understand the economic census and how it benefits them. The site includes economic snapshots of selected industries and business facts and ratios about every industry. The economic census is conducted every five years and more than 4 million businesses will get forms later this year for the 2007 Economic Census. http://business.census.gov. President Bush Signs America COMPETES Act. H.R. 2272, the "America
COMPETES Act" or the "America Creating Opportunities
to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education,
and Science Act," which authorizes various programs at
the National Science Foundation and the Departments of Energy,
Commerce, and Education intended to strengthen education and
research in the United States related to science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics. Access the news release at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/08/20070809-6.html.
Access H.R. 2272 at: SSA Proposes Changes to the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency
Program. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is proposing
revisions to its current program rules to simplify and improve
the definition of "using a ticket" and its related
requirements for measuring "timely progress toward self-supporting
employment." You can find this article on the Workforce
ATM at: House Energy Bill to Boost Green Job Training (Source: GreenBiz.com). OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 7, 2007 -- The House of Representatives passed a sweeping energy bill Saturday that included a provision directing millions of dollars toward training a "green" workforce. The Green Jobs Act of 2007 would authorize as much as $125 million a year for the national and state program to train workers in areas such as biofuel development, energy efficient buildings, renewable power, solar panel installation and energy efficient cars. The program would give priority to workers impacted by federal energy and environmental policy, veterans, the unemployed and at-risk youths, among others. The investment could create three million jobs, by some estimates. It would identify and track new jobs and skills vital to the growth of the renewable energy and efficiency industries. Access the bill at: http://www.usclimatenetwork.org/house-energy-package-information/bills/HR2847-EdAndLabor.pdf. NASWAWorkforce Bulletin - August 10, 2007 – Headlines:
Grant and Competitive Award Opportunities and NoticesFor current information, visit the External Grant Opportunities page.Featured Opportunity:(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. August 22, 2007 August 22, 2007 August 23, 2007 August 23, 2007 Workforce Florida’s Regional Forums August 23rd September 5th Other Meetings/Conferences/Events:
August 22-24, 2007 September 18-21, 2007 September 24-26, 2007 Odds and EndsEBRI Releases "Employment Status of Workers Ages 55 or Older" (Employee Benefit Research Institute August 2007, Vol. 28, No. 8). The Employee Benefit Research Institute recently released this article. The following is the executive summary bullets:
Only Half of Income-Eligible Households Receive Food Stamp Benefits. The National Priorities Project (NPP) just released this week an analysis of 2004 county-level data and statistics that shows that half of all low-income people did not receive Food Stamp benefits. The report looks at the percentage of low-income people receiving Food Stamp benefits in each county in the country, juxtaposing it with poverty rates. For the report go to: http://www.nationalpriorities.org/Anti-Poverty-Programs/Food-Stamp-Spending-Does-Not-Meet-Need-2.html. Access the NPP Database to find your county's information. The top ten workforce trends: GET FUTURE READY! James Canton,Ph.D.,CEO and Chairman, Institute for Global Futures is well known for identifying top trends that will shape our future. In his book "The Extreme Future" he identifies the top ten workforce trends. Most of his insights are based on American and European markets, yet are relevant to the global skills shortage. [Note: this is a blog – warning – many misspelled words!] http://recruitertraining.blogspot.com/2007/08/top-ten-workforce-trends.html. Career Tools. America's Career Resource Network provides career development guidelines and resources to help students identify career directions and related education programs. A "career decision-making tool" walks students through a 6-step cycle for making decisions about careers and education programs. Access America's Career Resource Network at: http://www.acrnetwork.org/Default.aspx. Quote for the Week:“Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.” William Butler Yeats (1865 - 1939) |
