Summer 2022
PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES. IMPROVE LIVES.
Rep. Dana Trabulsy appointed to CareerSource Florida Board of Directors.
Dana Trabulsy, Fort Pierce resident and State Rep for District 84 was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors. Following the appointment Trabulsy attended the Port St. Lucie Job Fair with Mary Murphy, Business navigator and Brian Bauer, President/CEO. (See more on page 3)
BUSINESS NEWS
BOOT CAMPS
YOUTH NEWS
REACH Act provides an essential bridge between job seekers and employers
Boot Camps allow youth hands-on experiences for future employment
Summer of Success provides a path of self sufficiency for local teens
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WORKFORCE REPORT
August 2022
REACH Act builds workforce bridges
FLORIDA- Florida’s 2021 Reimagining Education and Career Help Act, known as the REACH Act, is a extensive blueprint for enhancing access, alignment and accountability across the state’s workforce development system. The legislation sponsored by
Representatives Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, and Lauren Melo, R-Naples, passed both legislative chambers unanimously and was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis. The REACH Act allows Floridians with barriers to education and employment become selfsufficient, giving them better access to good jobs and career pathways that offer economic opportunity. Additionally, the REACH Act requires workforce agencies in Florida to collaborate with business and industry leaders to develop a list of credentials which would align workforce demands with proper training options. One goal of the REACH Act includes the implementation of the ‘Open Door Grant Program’ to create a supply of workers for high-demand occupations while expanding the affordability of
workforce trainings, credentialed programs and certifications. The REACH Act will also allow for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity (WIOA) Act partners representing the Department of Educations’ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Division of Blind Services and Department of Children and Families to the CareerSource Florida Board. “This is a big step for creating a path for job seekers to find employment with less bureaucracy that aligns with their passions and goals.” said Brian Bauer, President/CEO of CareerSource Research Coast. The newly formed REACH office will initiate an online workforce opportunity portal where job seekers can plot their course though career paths, wage information, and program quality and support linked to current in-demand jobs.
CAREERSOURCE RESEARCH COAST PARTNERS WITH WPBF-25 FOR ‘WORKFORCE REPORT’
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eginning last month, CareerSource Research Coast joined with WPBF-TV News 25 to join their 9:00AM extended news broadcast following the release of the State of Floria’s employment report. The waters were tested with more than favorable results with Tracey McMorris, COO, and Mary Murphy, Business Navigator, appearing on the broadcasts during the spring to share information about upcoming job fairs and the state of employment in our region. Brian Bauer, President/CEO, joined the broadcast July 26 with Mark Kelly to kick off the newly scheduled format.
“Our resources are so valuable to the
communities we serve and they come at zero cost to the businesses and job seekers. This will be a big step in removing the ‘best kept secret’ moniker from the public perceptions,” said Bauer. The next broadcast is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 22 and will be subsequently shared on the CareerSource Research Coast social channels.
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WORKFORCE REPORT
Summer Boot Camps for students Students were treated to many career path opportunities through two separate boot camps designed for teens. The Manufacturing BootCamp in Indian River County provided several pathways for the students including a tour through Diamond Drinks’ facility in Vero Beach and exploring various jobs using virtual technology
with CareerSource Research Coast staff at Treasure Coast Technical College. Project Lift in Palm City put tools in their hands as they learned of electricity, pouring concrete, landscaping and more. For additional images please visit our gallery on Facebook.
Diamond Drinks, Inc. in Vero Beach showed students the process of mixing juice, bottling, packing and distributing. Right: Diego Parada show a student how to change oil on an airplane through a virtual simulation.
Students attending Project Lift were given hands-on projects in several skilled trade activities to learn the workflow each project.
August 2022
State Representative from Fort Pierce appointed to CareerSource Florida Board of Directors Put the right people in the right places, and then you trust them to do the right stuff. - Dara Khosrowshahi Governor Ron DeSantis appointed seven people to the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors in July including Fort Pierce resident and State Representative of District 84, Dana Trabulsy. Rep. Trabulsy was elected to the House of Representatives in 2020 and serves on several committees including vice chair of the Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee. Relative to her appointment to CareerSource Florida, Rep. Trabulsy sits on the Education and Employment Committee and Early Learning & Elementary Education Subcommittee. “In Florida, and at Career Source, we are focused on job creation, partnerships, innovation, and workforce education. I am especially excited about the expansion of workforce education and training programs. These
are essential elements of our mission,” said Rep. Trabulsy Rep. Trabulsy has a special place in her heart for children’s initiatives as well as advocating the importance of families to earn a fair living wage to support their families. “Having local representation on the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors affords CSRC the opportunity to showcase how our local workforce development board, it’s economic and educational partners, community stakeholders and business collaborate to secure a skilled and qualified talent pipeline for the industry sector employers in the counties we serve.” said Brian Bauer, President/ CEO of CareerSource Research Coast.
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Summer of Success wrapped up another productive year introducing teens to the workforce while also introducing many businesses to including more youth on their staff. Over 50 high school juniors and seniors were chosen to participate in this summer work experience at twenty locations in St. Lucie County. Bailie Johnson learned new work skills with Michelle Miller’s staff at the St. Lucie County Clerk of Courts in Fort Pierce. “One of my duties was to digitize old archived
WORKFORCE REPORT
documents. They explained to me that this office is the gate keeper for this history in St. Lucie County,” said Johnson. Before the teens joined the workforce they spent a week in a classroom environment learning and refreshing themselves on the soft skills that would make them effective in their summer positions. “Knowing to look someone in the eye when speaking to them, a proper handshake and how to correctly answer a phone at a business are some of the topics
August 2022
covered in the class setting,” said Gregory McDonald, CareerSource Research Coast workshop instructor. For many students this was the first paycheck they would earn. While several students had a wish list of items they would want to purchase for themselves, several expressed how they would save and budget their money after what they learned about fiscal responsibility for themselves.
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August 2022
Summer Job Fairs served hundreds! The Summer of ‘22 will be remembered as the summer that changed the employment paths for many tri-county area job seekers. Nearly 700 job seekers and over 100 employers benefited from the City of Port St. Lucie Community Job Fair, The Early Learning Coalition Child Care Job Fair and the 2nd Annual United Against Poverty Job Fair
To be involved with CareerSource Research Coast as an employer, job seeker, or advocate, please call 1-866-4U2-HIRE or email info@careersourcerc.com