Workforce System Transformation Update

August 2023

As Florida's principal workforce policy organization and in collaboration with the Governor's Reimagining Education and Career Help (REACH) Office, CareerSource Florida is implementing a three-pillar Florida Workforce System Transformation Plan approved by the state workforce development board. This periodic newsletter includes information and updates on the implementation process. Please visit our REACH Act webpage for more details.

Latest News

On July 19, CareerSource Florida and Ernst & Young (EY) introduced the next phase of the Florida Workforce System Transformation Plan to modernize and streamline Florida’s workforce system with two webinars.

A Local Elected Officials Webinar was attended by 42 officials and other leaders from the 10 local workforce development areas that will be realigned and consolidated under the plan. Attendees heard from leaders at CareerSource Florida and EY who shared an overview of the goals of the three-pillar plan, emphasizing Pillar I, Alignment and Consolidation; anticipated next steps in the implementation of the transformation plan; and goals for local elected leader involvement.

County leaders in these areas will lead the process of creating new local workforce development boards, supported by EY, CareerSource Florida and the Florida Department of Commerce. EY will work one-on-one with impacted areas, starting in August, to create tailored implementation plans including a checklist of actions to be taken at the local level.

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A Local Workforce Development Boards Webinar provided information about implementing all three pillars of the Florida Workforce System Transformation Plan –Alignment and Consolidation, System-wide Improvements, and Regional Planning. The webinar had 62 attendees. CareerSource Florida President and CEO Adrienne Johnston shared with attendees the opportunities afforded by the plan's implementation to enhance the way services are provided to job seekers and businesses, as it has been nearly 30 years since the last major updates were made to Florida’s workforce system.

EY also highlighted the process and timeline for each phase of implementation of the Florida Workforce System Transformation Plan, emphasizing important planning milestones in the next several months. These include:

In July, a focus on governance in the areas impacted by Alignment and Consolidation to understand the needed changes.
In August, one-on-one engagement with each local workforce development board affected by Alignment and Consolidation, along with working with CareerSource Florida and FloridaCommerce on beginning implementation of System-wide Improvements.
In September, work plans to be tailored to each local workforce development board impacted by Alignment and Consolidation.
In October, timeframes to be set and technical assistance provided to assist with implementation and initial work undertaken around Regional Planning.

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Timeline

During the recent kickoff webinars in July, a timeline for the first 120 days of the implementation of the Florida Workforce System Transformation Plan was shared with attendees. Click the image below for more details.

Florida Workforce System Transformation Overview

We have created an overview of the Florida Workforce System Transformation Plan with all the key information. Click the image below for a downloadable version.

Background

In February, the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors recommended, and the Governor later approved, the following update to Florida's local workforce development areas and boards.

Consolidation of:

– CareerSource Florida Crown and CareerSource North Central Florida. The new combined six-county local workforce development area will include Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, and Union counties.

– CareerSource Flagler Volusia and CareerSource Brevard to create a new three-county local workforce development area for those counties.

– CareerSource Pinellas and CareerSource Tampa Bay to create a new, two-county local workforce development area composed of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Realignment:

– Jefferson County will join CareerSource Capital Region (currently Leon, Gadsden, and Wakulla counties), resulting in a new four-county area.

- CareerSource North Florida will become a new five-county area serving Madison, Taylor, Lafayette, Hamilton and Suwannee counties.

– CareerSource Southwest Florida will become a six-county area by adding Monroe County to its service area that includes Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties.

– CareerSource South Florida will become a single-county service area for Miami-Dade County.

Please let Garrick Wright, Program Director, know if you have any questions or have additional feedback at gwright@careersourceflorida.com or (850) 933-7487.   

The CareerSource Florida Network

CareerSource Florida is the statewide workforce policy and investment board. Our partners include the Florida Department of Commerce, local workforce development boards and 100 career centers throughout Florida.

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