Workforce System Transformation Update

January 2024

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.

2024: The Year of Transformation

The next six months are a pivotal time in the implementation of the Florida Workforce System Transformation Plan, as all three key pillars of the plan – Alignment and Consolidation, System-Wide Improvements, and Regional Planning – are set to be completed or have significant progress made by June 30, 2024. Substantial growth has already been achieved with strong engagement from local workforce development boards, elected leaders, and partners.

As you know, these improvements stem from the Reimaging Education and Career Help (REACH Act), signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2021. The Florida Workforce System Transformation Plan will streamline and modernize the state’s workforce system, enhancing alignment and accountability in order to better serve job seekers and businesses, improving outcomes for Floridians.

Two boards leading the way in consolidation are the workforce development boards in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. To prepare for a smooth and successful consolidation, the entities formed a consolidation committee that meets monthly; hold regular meetings with chief elected officers, leadership, and staff; and developed a joint communications plan and interlocal agreement, with the first meeting of their new organization held in December 2023. Other areas are on a similar path to successfully reach the needed milestones by June 2024.

Similar progress has also been achieved in System-wide Improvements, such as the approval on the Statewide Standardization of Tools and Services Strategic Policy at the December board meeting, and Regional Planning, such as the identification of two regional planning areas. Congratulations to all local workforce development boards and elected officials on such significant progress.

Board of Directors Hear Transformation Update

The CareerSource Florida Board of Directors heard an update on the progress of the Florida Workforce System Transformation Plan during their quarterly meeting in December.

As part of System-wide Improvements, EY (Ernst & Young, LLP) shared the outcomes of a high-level technology assessment that reviewed the current IT landscape and technology procurements throughout the state’s local workforce development system. The assessment has helped to identify opportunities to enhance procurement across all local workforce development boards. More than 250 unique systems were identified across the 22 boards that participated in the assessment, with the IT budget comprising 4% of the average local workforce development board budget. The team will receive additional data from local workforce development boards and explore the potential for an in-depth and targeted technology assessment.

The board also heard EY’s analysis of contracts produced and used across the state, specifically On-the-Job Training Agreements, Individual Training Account Agreements, Memorandum of Understanding for Workforce Partners, and Infrastructure Funding Agreements. With varying versions of existing contracts, the team is looking to create new standardized templates to be used by all boards.

The Florida Workforce System Transformation Plan Update presentation is available here, and the Board of Directors meeting recording is available here.

FAQs

Have questions about the Florida Workforce System Transformation Plan? Visit CareerSource Florida's Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

Pilot Regional Planning Areas Identified

The third pillar of the Florida Workforce System Transformation Plan is Regional Planning. CareerSource Florida and FloridaCommerce worked with contractor EY and local workforce development boards to develop the Identification of Regional Planning Areas administrative policy. The policy is designed to guide local boards requesting designation as an official Regional Planning Area (RPA). It requires local workforce development boards to work together to submit supporting documentation showing the relationships between the two areas.

Through that process, two pilot RPAs have been identified:

CareerSource Escarosa, CareerSource Okaloosa Walton, CareerSource Chipola, and CareerSource Gulf Coast
CareerSource Research Coast and CareerSource Palm Beach County

These two RPAs plan to submit official designation requests in February 2024 for approval by the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors, ahead of the June 2024 deadline.

Training Provides Tools for Transformation

Based on identified needs, monthly elective training continues for local workforce development board areas that are aligning and consolidating. In October, training focused on how to develop a RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) Matrix, a tool that shows the current state of aligning and transforming boards and envisions their future state and key decision-makers.

In November, the training centered on assisting chief executives and human resources (HR) staff. It focused on best practices for public sector HR departments, reimagined HR capabilities, and ways to enhance the aligning and transforming process.

The December training topic was Navigating and Preparing for Change. The change management discussion included effective communications and navigating employee engagement. Additional monthly trainings are anticipated in 2024 as needed.

Please let Garrick Wright, Program Director, know if you have any questions or 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 FloridaCommerce, local workforce development boards and 100 career centers throughout Florida.

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