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Workforce Florida Weekly Update 10-10-07 |
CONTENTS The State & RegionsThe William L. Heartwell Jr. Award Presented to Senator Don Gaetz, Florida State Senate. The William L. Heartwell, Jr. Award is given annually to an individual outside the workforce development system who has made a significant and substantial contribution to the system. The award is named after former NASWA Executive Director, William L. Heartwell, Jr., who retired in 1987. This year's distinguished recipient is Senator Don Gaetz who has transformed the workforce services in the State of Florida by creating a pipeline of next generation skilled workers. Led by the power and influence of Senator Gaetz, the education, business and workforce communities have joined to create career academies with a philosophy of rigor, relevance and relationships. This movement began in 2000, upon his election as Okaloosa County School Superintendent, the first non-educator to be elected Superintendent in this school district, where he served for two terms. Through his leadership the Okaloosa County School Board implemented the CHOICE (Community High: Okaloosa Institutes for Career Education) for youth in Okaloosa County. CHOICE has a vision to provide students with relevant education, career training and experience for job opportunities. CHOICE provides a structure for organizing career training to ensure that outcomes focus on viable occupations and nationally recognized industry certifications and credentials. It also offers students the option to pursue education and training at business and industry sites in addition to the traditional educational facilities. He asked the business community for assistance in designing, implementing, and assessing the CHOICE program, acknowledging the connection with the business community as critical. With the planning and implementation of the CHOICE program, a natural partnership developed with both the Workforce Development Board and the Okaloosa County School Board, one that shared the vision of connecting youth with high quality education leading to careers with high skills and high wages. The Workforce Development Board of Okaloosa and Walton Counties serves as a partner to the CHOICE Programs: providing Labor Market Information, high-growth high-demand information, local economy data and other vital workforce information. Senator Don Gaetz was elected to the Florida State Senate in 2006. As a Senator he was successful during his first term in passing Senate Bill 1232 (Career and Professional Education). The bill created the Florida Career and Professional Education Act for the purpose of improving academic performance and responding to State's workforce needs; requiring district School Boards develop strategic plans to address and meet workforce needs; and requiring public school districts to offer Career and Professional Academies such as implemented in Okaloosa County with the CHOICE Program. The success of the CHOICE Institutes throughout Florida is realized because it requires education to be demand-driven. The CHOICE philosophy puts workforce in a lead role in the development of responsive curriculum. Never before has workforce played such a critical role in the formation and development of real world education. These institutes have graduated young people with not only a high school diploma, but real world certifications and college credit. Upon graduation, these youth are ready to join the workforce or continue on for further education in a career track that serves the needs of our local employers. The CHOICE program has been recognized as the model for career education in the State of Florida. Workforce Florida, Inc. has competitively awarded a total of 11 CHOICE Replication sites and ten CHOICE Planning grants for Program Years 2005-2007. Florida's Great Northwest (U.S. Department of Labor WIRED Grant) just announced five CHOICE Replication sites (through competitive process). Senator Gaetz is a friend of the workforce system and is very committed supporter of workforce initiatives. He promotes the power of E3 (employers, education, and economic development) and believes the entities must continue to partner to effectively address the critical need of finding ways to integrate every available worker into the workforce. Through his rigor, relevance, and relationships with education, employment and economic development Senator Don Gaetz is a true Workforce Champion! Access this article and the entire program of award recipients at: http://www.workforceatm.org/articles/template.cfm?results_art_filename=07Gaetz.htm. Florida Women’s Business Center To Cohost “Entrepreneurial Spirit” Retreat - Awakening Your Entrepreneurial Spirit Retreat to be held November 1-3, 2007. DELRAY BEACH, FL, OCTOBER 5, 2007: The Florida Women’s Business Center is co-hosting The Awakening your Entrepreneurial Spirit™ Retreat, presented by Suzanne Mulvehill, MBA, author of Employee to Entrepreneur. The retreat will be held November 1-3, 2007 at the Holiday Inn Highland Beach, in Delray Beach, Florida. The retreat is a mind, body, spirit awakening to help individuals say, “YES!” to their entrepreneurial yearning, discover what they are passionate about, become the entrepreneur they want to be and ultimately increase the success rate of start-up entrepreneurs. “I believe we can increase the 50% business success rate for start-ups by helping develop entrepreneurs from the inside out,” says Suzanne Mulvehill, co-host of the retreat and world-renowned author and trainer. Mulvehill is the author of Employee to Entrepreneur: A Mind, Body and Spirit Transition and works throughout the U.S. and Europe, helping thousands transition from employee to entrepreneur. “We are delighted to participate in this event. We support women in their transition into entrepreneurship and know the start-up phase is crucial to success,” says Jennifer Brin, Director of the Florida Women’s Business Center based in Delray Beach. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is also participating in the retreat. This retreat will be held at a beach-side resort so that individuals can intertwine the natural environment into their awakening and intensify their experience. “Nature has a way of supporting us and aligning us with ourselves,” says Mulvehill. “The retreat is designed especially for people who desire to be their own boss or seek greater professional fulfillment,” says Mulvehill. “We know when we have the calling. My job is to help people connect to that and make it a reality.” Sessions will include experiential exercises that will help participants break through the fears and obstacles that have held them back, discover what they are really passionate about, discover gifts and natural talents, and ultimately, help them awaken their entrepreneurial spirit and become the entrepreneur they truly want to be. The retreat begins at 6:00 p.m. on November 1st and ends at noon on November 3rd. It is priced affordably at $375 for the retreat and meals, $497 for two nights shared accommodations, retreat/meals and $630 for private accommodations, retreat/meals. For registration after October 15, pricing is $425, $547 and $640 for each of the three levels. Register or contact for more information by calling (561) 267-9829 or visit www.emotionalendurance.com. WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA Awards More Than $56,500 In Employed Worker Training Awards In September. ORLANDO, FL …WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA (WCF) awarded more than $56,500 in Employed Worker Training (EWT) awards to local employers in September 2007. The employed worker training awards were given to a total of 11 local businesses and will assist in the payment for professional training of 158 employees. The businesses that received awards invested just over $154,000 of their own resources toward these trainings. Among those that received awards include:
Mojo Interactive, an Internet marketing company that develops sophisticated, results-oriented online marketing solutions and Web-based applications for an array of industries, will utilize its Employed Worker Training award for $10,700 toward a $21,700 customized sales training for eight people on its team. “The Employed Worker Training award from WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA will allow Mojo Interactive to provide our sales team with detailed instruction and hands-on exercises in various aspects of the sales cycle,” said Ron Fischer, Mojo Interactive’s senior vice president. “This training is crucial to our company remaining competitive in the industry.” The EWT program is designed to provide financial assistance to employers that recognize the importance of investing in their employees. Workforce research shows that employees value the opportunity to acquire new skills, which will lead to increased productivity and impact your bottom line. Benefits of the EWT program include:
The NationAnalysis of Fiscal Year 2006 TANF and MOE Spending by States (CLASP report). Below are worksheets analyzing how the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the nation as a whole spent the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grants and state Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funds in fiscal year 2006. States reported this information to the Administration for Children and Families. While FY 2006 data are the most recent data that the federal government has posted, one should keep in mind that they only describe spending through September 30, 2006, and that individual state circumstances may have changed substantially since then. The definitions provide information on how CLASP organized the data from federal reporting. Access the report at: http://clasp.org/publications/state_moe_fy06.htm. United States Government Announces Date For WIREC 2008: U.S. Expects Broad Participation in Renewable Energy Ministerial. WASHINGTON, October 2, 2007—State Department Under Secretary Paula Dobriansky gathered stakeholders in the renewable energy industry together today to discuss goals and outcomes for the federal government’s Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC) 2008. “Renewable energy is a global priority, and advancing these technologies requires a network of collaborators from multiple industries and multiple governments,” Dobriansky told renewable energy stakeholders at the State Department where participating federal agencies gathered to share details of the conference. “WIREC 2008 offers participants the opportunity for frank discussion to chart the course for meeting global energy needs of tomorrow. By tailoring the conference to address the most pressing challenges faced throughout the industry, we will be more successful in advancing renewable energy globally.” WIREC 2008 will be held at the Washington Convention Center on March 4-6, 2008. An international platform for government, private sector, and non-governmental leaders to jointly address the goal of advancing renewable energy, WIREC 2008 is the third global ministerial-level conference on renewable energy, following events in Beijing in 2005 and Bonn in 2004. WIREC 2008 will build on the success of the previous conferences by combining a Ministerial Meeting with other events, including a Business Conference, Trade Show Exhibition, and Official Side Events. “WIREC 2008 will help us move forward on our energy security, climate change, air quality and sustainable development goals,” said Agriculture Under Secretary Thomas Dorr as he announced www.wirec2008.gov as the official conference website. “This conference will foster increased political support and public awareness for renewable energy, new and innovative actions to promote widespread adoption of renewable energy, and advanced tools for collecting and disseminating best practices.” WIREC 2008 focuses on four pillars necessary to support renewable energy industries: Agriculture and Rural Development; Technology/Research and Development; Finance; and Commercialization. Each track will examine how public policies and private efforts can most effectively advance renewable energy across the globe. WIREC 2008 will address many forms of renewable energy, including biofuels, solar, wind, hydro and geothermal energy. Information on how stakeholders can participate in various levels of WIREC 2008 can be found at: www.wirec2008.gov. Headlines from NASWA’s Workforce Bulletin – October 5, 2007:
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. October 17, 2007 November 7, 2007 November 8, 2007 Other Meetings/Conferences/Events:
Florida College Access Network Conference (FCAN) October 17, 2007 October 18-19, 2007 October 25 - 26, 2007 Oct. 27-30, 2007 October 30-31, 2007 October 31, 2007 November 15-17, 2007 Jan. 15-18, 2008 January 22-25, 2008 May 18-20, 2008 Odds and EndsNew Program Seeds Veteran Entrepreneurs With $50,000 Grants. The Veterans Corporation, a federally-chartered non-profit supporting veteran business owners, has announced a new program to seed veteran entrepreneur support efforts across the U.S. The new Veteran Entrepreneurship Grant program will provide grants of up to $50,000 for organizations who have designed innovative initiatives that help veterans start new businesses or that help entrepreneurs who need to prepare their firms and employees for potential military deployments. The grants are for service organizations, not for individuals. Visit http://www.veteranscorp.org/developmentgrants/. Job Boards Tap Facebook For Gen Y Workers (by Gina Ruiz, Workforce Week October 7 - 13, 2007; Vol. 8 Issue 41). Recruiters are getting a vital new tool to hire Generation Y workers as job boards begin linking to the social networking site Facebook. CareerBuilder, Jobster, Yahoo HotJobs and JobsinPods.com are among those developing Facebook applications in hopes of helping recruiters and hiring managers reach out to some 41 million active users of the popular site. Many experts consider Facebook the leading Generation Y networking platform, not only for its reach but also because of the audience it attracts. Facebook’s fastest-growing demographic is people 25 years or older. More than half of the site’s users are out of college and many are seeking full-time jobs in a career-oriented environment, which makes them a coveted workforce group among employers searching for young talent, recruiting specialists say. “Facebook is the sixth-most trafficked site in the country,” says Richard Castellini, vice president of consumer marketing at CareerBuilder. “It is a great medium for employers to become more relatable to this important segment of the workforce.” Access the complete article at: http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/25/14/91.html. From SOUTHERN COMPASS -- OCTOBER 9, 2007:
Quote for the Week:“Mistakes are the portals of discovery.” James Joyce (1882 - 1941) |
