CONTENTS
The State & Regions
The Nation
Grant and Competitive Award Opportunities
Upcoming
Meetings, Conferences & Events
Odds & Ends
The State & Regions
Governor Crist Unveils Plan To Build Florida’s Innovation
Economy~ Addresses Florida’s Business Editors And Corporate
Leaders During Economic Development Summit. TALLAHASSEE – Governor
Charlie Crist today announced a framework for developing Florida’s
innovation economy and increasing the state’s ability
to compete in the global market. The strategic plan was unveiled
during a luncheon at the Governor's Mansion as part of an economic
development summit for business editors hosted by the Florida
Press Association and the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. “We
are developing plans based on sound research and proven practice
that will expand our capacity for innovation and keep Florida
competitive,” Governor Crist said. “Innovation
is the heart of the entrepreneurial spirit, and the entrepreneurial
spirit is woven into the DNA of Florida’s economic success.” Governor
Crist’s plan for developing an innovation economy relies
on the continuous process of discovering and developing new
technologies. Innovation, or finding new ways for doing things
better and faster, leads to improved productivity. Productivity
then leads to competitiveness, and being competitive in the
global market leads to a prosperous economy. “I look
forward to working with members of the Florida Legislature
and business leaders to build on these principles and move
forward with a strategy to strengthen Florida’s economic
future,” Governor Crist said. Governor Crist’s
framework for achieving Florida’s competitive advantage
includes six essential drivers for Florida’s innovation
economy:
•
Sustainable growth will ensure that our communities grow in
a balanced way, that we preserve our state’s beauty and
that we are a leader in clean technologies.
•
A competitive business climate can be nurtured by lowering
the cost of doing business in Florida. Governor Crist pointed
to January 29th as a step in the right, but indicated there
is more work to do.
•
A multimodal infrastructure created by improving all of our
ports – seaports, airports, spaceports and railports – will
ensure paths to and from markets.
•
Research and development will create new products and processes
in targeted industries such as the clean technology.
•
Entrepreneurial systems such as improved access to capital
and business incubation will ensure Florida-based business – in
urban and rural communities alike – grow and prosper.
•
Improved education and workforce training will ensure Florida
has world-class talent available in an innovation economy.
Governor Crist’s announcement comes after meeting with
business leaders throughout the state during recent months
to discuss ways to keep Florida’s economy vibrant and
enhance the Sunshine State’s business friendly environment.
He also received input from the Florida Chamber of Commerce,
Associated Industries of Florida, the Florida Economic Development
Council and Enterprise Florida's board of directors. The Office
of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development (OTTED) assists
the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Legislature in formulating
policies and strategies designed to provide economic opportunities
for all Floridians. OTTED provides executive direction and
staff support to develop policies and advocate for economic
diversification and improvements in Florida’s business
climate and infrastructure. Economic development programs are
implemented through public/private partnerships for which OTTED
provides direct oversight.
Governor Crist Welcomes Biotech Institute To Port St.
Lucie ~ Oregon’s Vaccine And Gene Therapy Institute To Expand
To Florida Biotech Hub. PORT ST. LUCIE – Governor Charlie
Crist yesterday announced the expansion of the Oregon Health
and Science University's Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute
(VGTI) to Port St. Lucie. The Florida program will focus its
research efforts on understanding and treating infection, immunity
and inflammation in older adults. VGTI has assembled expertise
to allow the rapid movement of discoveries from the laboratory
to the clinic for use as medical treatments. “The arrival
of VGTI further develops Florida as a biotech hub and establishes
the Sunshine State as a global leader in medical research and
development,” said Governor Crist. “Florida’s
economy will benefit from the collaboration among Florida's
biotech companies, which will also lead to better medical treatments
and a better quality of life for all of us.” The State
of Florida will provide $60 million in incentive funding from
the Florida Innovation Fund to develop the institute. In addition,
the City of Port St. Lucie has committed to providing $53 million
in infrastructure expenditures. Florida's economic investment
in VGTI in Port St. Lucie will strengthen the unification of
disciplines among immunology, cell biology, virology in developing
vaccines and therapeutics for infectious diseases. VGTI Florida
and its anticipated institute-dependent startup companies will
support approximately 1,466 positions directly and indirectly
over a 20-year period and will generate $2 billion in payroll
and $4.2 billion in gross state product in its first 20 years
of operation. The award represents Florida's commitment to
creating an environment that attracts a nucleus of world-class
biomedical scientists. The institute is expected to create
200 jobs over the next 10 years with an average wage of $60,000.
VGTI already has collaborative ties with faculty at Torrey
Pines Institute for Molecular Studies (TPIMS) and The Scripps
Research Institute. VGTI Florida will be located adjacent to
TPMIS headquarters, and VGTI will operate out of temporary
facilities at TPMIS until its facility is constructed. VGTI
and TPIMS will collaborate extensively to assist each other
in scientific assays. The Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute
was established in 2001. VGTI is Oregon's only health and research
university and is Portland’s largest employer. OHSU serves
more than 184,000 patients and provides a learning forum for
more than 3,900 students and trainees.
Al Latimer Appointed Enterprise Florida’s Senior VP
For External Affairs, Investor Relations. ORLANDO, FL (January
7, 2008) – Al Latimer has been appointed senior vice
president of Enterprise Florida’s External Affairs and
Investor Relations (EAIR) division, succeeding Chris Hart IV,
who recently assumed the president/CEO role at Workforce Florida
Inc. EAIR oversees Enterprise Florida’s investor recruitment
and retention efforts, involvement with partner economic development
organizations, government relations, military and defense programs
and corporate communications. Latimer, 50, previously was an
EAIR vice president responsible for economic development government,
legislative and partner/stakeholder relations. “Al brings
more than a decade of experience in working successfully with
our partners and stakeholders and in legislative affairs to
his new role,” said John Adams Jr., president and CEO
of Enterprise Florida. Latimer joined the organization in January
1998. “He also has helped us forge effective partnerships
with our wide range of stakeholders, compliments of his broad
knowledge of public policy issues related to defense, space,
workforce, international trade, transportation, information
technology, and life sciences industries,” Adams continued.
Prior to Enterprise Florida, Latimer spent four years as vice
president of government relations for the Florida Chamber of
Commerce in Tallahassee. Other positions following a stint
(’79-’85) as a professional athlete with the NFL
(Philadelphia Eagles; San Francisco 49ers; Detroit Lions) include
executive director of the Jacksonville Sports Development Authority
(’89-’94), and regional director for the Governor’s
Council on Fitness & Sports in Gainesville (’86-’89).
A native of Winter Park, Fla., Latimer earned a bachelor’s
degree in business administration at Walsh College in Troy,
Mich.
Building Futures: Effort Would Boost Numbers Of Skilled
Workers (Tampa Bay Business Journal - January 7, 2008 - by David Guidi).
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor is set to announce a program Monday
that is expected to finance the training of 100 low-income
workers during the next three years for basic construction
and carpentry jobs in Hillsborough County. A $500,000 federal
grant through the Department of Health of Human Services will
pay for the job-training program -- a public/private partnership
between Corp. to Develop Communities of Tampa Inc., Abe Brown
Ministries and Able Body Training U. The hope is that the grant
will serve as a pilot for more job training for the low-income
workforce of east Tampa, said Toni Watts, chief executive officer
for CDC of Tampa Inc. "What we're seeing is a huge demand
for employment among low-income workers in East Tampa, but
because of their low skills and background challenges, we have
a hard time getting them placed," Watts said. "Traditionally,
the construction industry has been one of the friendlier industries
for these workers." Of the 1,500 low-income people that
visit the CDC's east-Tampa based career resource center, only
about 200 get placed in jobs, Watts said. Individuals who enroll
in the program will receive four weeks of job training from
CDC and Able Body TrainingU Inc. before Able Body TrainingU
places them in construction jobs in Hillsborough County. In
addition to job-training and worker placement, CDC of Tampa
builds housing for low-income people in Hillsborough County.
http://tampabay.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2008/01/07/daily6.html.
The Nation
Workforce Investment Act Rescissions for FY2008. The Employment
and Training Administration has distributed a memorandum to
all State Workforce Administrators providing information on
Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 and FY 2008 rescissions and prospective
reduction for Program Year (PY) 2008 for the WIA, Adult, Dislocated
Workers, and Youth programs as enacted by Congress. Click the
link below to access detailed explanations of the rescissions
and the funding years that are impacted. In addition, there
is an attached chart that provides preliminary estimates of
the impact for each state of the retroactive rescissions. http://www.workforceatm.org/articles/template.cfm?results_art_filename=RecissionsFY2008.htm.
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training
Administration Publishes the Five-Year Research, Demonstration,
and Evaluation
Strategic Plan for 2007–2012. The U.S. Department of
Labor, Employment and Training Administration’s (USDOL/ETA)
Five-Year Research, Demonstration, and Evaluation Strategic
Plan for 2007–2012 is required under the Workforce Investment
Act (WIA) of 1998, Section 171. The Strategic Plan identifies
the potential demonstration and pilot, multi-service, multi-state,
research and evaluation efforts that will most assist ETA in
carrying out workforce development programs under WIA. Access
the plan at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/
edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E7-25563.pdf.
NASWA Workforce Bulletin Headlines - January 4, 2008:
- CONGRESS STARTS BUSINESS THE WEEK OF
JANUARY 22, 2008
- FY 2008 BUDGET SIGNED BY PRESIDENT ON DECEMBER
26, 2007
- DECEMBER UNEMPLOYMENT RATE RISES TO 5.0 PERCENT
WITH PAYROLLS UNCHANGED
- ETA PROVIDES GUIDANCE ON CONTINUATION
OF TAA AND ATAA
- ETA ENCOURAGES USE OF TECHNOLOGY-BASED
LEARNING IN THE WIA SYSTEM
- CareerOneStop.org SEEKS INPUT
TO IMPROVE THE WEBSITE
- ETA PUBLISHES FIVE-YEAR RESEARCH,
DEMONSTRATION, AND EVALUATION PLAN (2007 - 2012)
- NASWA OFFERS
BUSINESS SOLUTIONS TRAINING
- ASSISTANT SECRETARY EMILY
STOVER DeROCCO LEAVES ETA
- NASWA HIRES CONGRESSIONAL AND
INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR
- REGISTER NOW FOR NASWA
WINTER POLICY FORUM IN WASHINGTON ON MARCH 12-14, 2008
Access the complete stories at:
http://www.workforceatm.org/sections/members/bulletin/bulltemp.cfm?
results_art_filename=bu010408.htm
Grant and Competitive Award Opportunities
and Notices
Featured Opportunity:
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.
January 16, 2008
Executive Committee Teleconference
Tallahassee, FL
9:00am - 10:00am
February 13, 2008
Executive Directors Meeting (Partners)
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Location TBD
February 14, 2008
Full Board of Directors and Council/Committee Meetings
9:00am - 4:00pm
Location TBD
Other Meetings/Conferences/Events:
Jan. 15-18, 2008
2008 Effective Strategies Institute
Daytona Beach
Sponsored by the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network
(NDPC), the Florida Department of Education, 21st Century Community
Learning Centers of Florida, the University of Florida, Communities
in Schools of Florida, Inc., and the Florida Association of
Alternative School Educators.
http://www.dropoutprevention.org/conferen/conferen.htm#2008_EFI
January 22-25, 2008
FETC 2008—The K-12 Technology Conference
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando
http://www.fetc.org/
January 31-February 2, 2008
14th Joint National Conference on Alternatives to Expulsion,
Suspension, & Dropping Out of School
Lake Buena Vista, FL
http://www.uwgb.edu/outreach/alternatives/
February 4-5, 2008
The 2nd Annual Camillus House Institute of Homeless Studies
Symposium: Applying Research to End Homelessness
Miami, FL
http://www.instituteofhomelessstudies.org/symposium.php
March 11, 2008
Florida Association for Community Action (FACA) 2008 Legislative
Day on the Hill
2nd Floor Rotunda @ The Florida Capitol
Tallahassee, FL
www.faca.org
For more information call (850) 224-4774.
March 18-20, 2008
Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s 2nd National Conference
on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Workforce Education
Hudson Valley Community College
Albany, New York
For more information, please contact Jane Weissman at
IREC at jane@irecusa.org or weissmanpv@aol.com or 781-461-8167.
May 13 – 16, 2008
Florida Association for Community Action (FACA) 28th Annual
Training Conference
"
Community Action: Reducing Poverty, Building Stronger Families & Improving
Communities"
Marriott Coral Springs Hotel, Golf Club & Convention Center
Coral Springs, FL
www.faca.org
For more information call (850) 224-4774.
May 18-20, 2008
FEDC/WFI/FWDA Workforce Summit
SAVE THE DATE!
(Location TBD)
More information will be posted to www.fedc.net in the near
future…
July 15-17, 2008
Workforce Innovations 2008
New Orleans, LA
www.WorkforceInnovations.org
Odds and Ends
Where Workers Go, Do Jobs Follow? An analysis of workers
and jobs in the central cities and lower- and higher-income
suburbs of the largest 150 metropolitan areas finds that
growing concentrations of residents and jobs in higher-income
suburbs indicate that local labor market policy should better
maximize access to good jobs and skill-building opportunities
for all workers throughout metropolitan regions. Access the
full report at: http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2007/1231_cities_holzer.aspx?
emc=lm&m=211669&l=18&v=39299.
Make January 21st a Day of Service. Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. sought to forge the common ground on which people from
all walks of life could join together to address important
community issues. On January 21st, 2008, millions of Americans
across the country will once again honor his legacy by taking
part in a wide range of service projects—conducting
food drives, painting schools and community centers, recruiting
mentors for needy youth, and bringing meals to homebound
neighbors, to name but a few. In recognition of the 40th
anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, the Corporation
for National and Community Service in 2008 is also pleased
to join with other organizations in supporting a new initiative, “40
Days of Nonviolence: Building the Beloved Community.” Under
this initiative, the King Day of Service will kick off 40
days during which families, schools, faith communities, and
other organizations will plan service projects and educational
activities promoting Dr. King’s message of nonviolence
and social justice. http://www.mlkday.gov/.
Three special opportunities for public service in Washington,
DC and Tallahassee, Florida:
- The White House Fellows Program started in 1965 under
President Johnson, and is the nation's most prestigious fellowship
for leadership development and public service. The purpose
of the White House Fellows program is to provide gifted
and
highly motivated young Americans with first-hand experience
in the process of governing the Nation and a sense of personal
involvement in the leadership of society. http://www.whitehouse.gov/fellows/about/apply.html
- The
Gubernatorial Fellows Program, established in 2004 under
Governor Bush, gives college and university students
around the state the unique opportunity to spend a semester
working alongside state government's top staff. Gubernatorial
Fellows receive firsthand, on-the-job training as well
as valuable high-level experience and insight into state
government
and how it works. http://www.myflorida.com/fellows/.
- The White House Internship Program provides an opportunity
to experience day-to-day life at the White House while
working on a variety of tasks and projects. In addition
to normal
office duties, interns attend weekly lectures, volunteer
at special events, participate in tours, and contribute
to a community service project in the Washington, D.C.
area. White House Internships are unpaid positions and participants
are responsible for arranging their own transportation
and
housing. http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/wh-intern.html.
Quote for the Week:
"Opportunity
is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls
and looks like work."
Thomas A. Edison |
