Ask a Florida business owner what stands between the company and its next stage of growth, and the answer is often the same. Not capital, not demand, but people with the right skills at the right time.

Florida has spent recent years transforming its workforce system around that answer. The CareerSource Florida network covers the state through 21 local workforce development boards and more than 100 career centers, and what those boards fund and build increasingly starts with what employers tell them.

Industry sets the agenda

Since 2023, state law has required every local workforce development board to convene an Education and Industry Consortium. Each includes executives from the region's top public and private employers, along with leaders from K-12, technical colleges, state colleges and universities. Employers describe the talent they need and cannot find, educators describe what their programs currently produce, and the gap between those two answers becomes the agenda.

Consortiums meet at least quarterly and report on regional labor market needs, existing talent pipelines and the industries their area is prioritizing. Those reports shape which training gets funded and where a board puts its effort.

"Florida's workforce system is built around what employers actually need," said Adrienne Johnston, President and CEO of CareerSource Florida. "When a business can identify critical skill gaps, its local CareerSource partner can deliver targeted training solutions to strengthen the skills of existing workers or help recruit qualified talent. That is the difference between filling an opening and building a sustainable talent pipeline."

Growing talent rather than competing for it

Where the candidate pool is thin, developing talent has become more reliable than bidding for it. Registered apprenticeships provide the opportunity for a company to train workers on its own equipment and to its own standards while those workers earn a paycheck.

Each local workforce development board has an apprenticeship navigator. Navigators are dedicated professionals who help businesses decide whether an apprenticeship is right for them. If it is, the Navigator works with the business to design its program around actual roles and connect the business with training partners. Additionally, the Navigator assists with the state's registration process and with pursuing grant funding for eligible start-up costs. The state of Florida has set a goal of 50,000 new apprentices by 2030.

How the talent gets ready

This network also supports job seekers. Career centers across the state help Floridians clear obstacles that keep them out of the labor market, including transportation, childcare and gaps in training. For those who qualify, the network can cover the cost of training itself.

"Every Floridian who earns a credential and goes to work strengthens the talent pool Florida businesses draw from," Johnston said. "Serving job seekers and serving businesses is the same work."

Where to start

Local workforce development boards offer services such as:

• Recruiting support, including job postings, candidate referrals and prescreening
• Wage reimbursement through on-the-job training while a new hire builds specific skills
• Grant funding to upskill current employees through the Incumbent Worker Training program
• Specialized matching with veteran candidates through the Jobs for Veterans State Grant
• Regional labor market data to inform where and when to grow

Employers can contact their local workforce development board, the fastest route to hiring support, training partners and grant funding. Floridians looking for work or a credential can also get support at a nearby career center. To find the nearest career center or learn more, visit CareerSourceFlorida.com.