Workforce Partners

Lee County Economic Development Office works to improve opportunities for the workforce to advance skills and have access to career ladders.

The CareerSource Southwest Florida network of career development professionals works directly with Florida employers to align their business goals. CareerSource connects business, labor, education, community, and government services together under one organization. CareerSource operates five full-service Career Centers and two satellite centers in the five counties in Southwest Florida.

Florida South Western State College’s External Affairs Department has implemented a Corporate Training and Workforce Now Research Initiative. The External Affairs team consists of established professionals in the areas of community and governmental relations, communications and marketing, and corporate training. This department is responsible for the strategic long-term vision, planning and operation of the college’s Corporate Training Department which provides a host of educational training services to businesses in the region. They have been successful in assisting local businesses obtain over $13M in Quick Response Training (QRT) grants to train new hires as their businesses expand. This funding has helped to train over 7,000 new hires. In addition, they assist businesses with Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) grants for training existing employees and develop training classes highly customized to the needs of the business.

FutureMakers Coalition is an initiative working to increase the number of Southwest Floridians with post-secondary credentials, certifications, and degrees. Its goal is to ensure that 55% of working-age adults in Southwest Florida have education beyond high school by 2025. It serves both traditional students and adults with barriers to educational attainment.

Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida is a non-profit youth organization whose purpose is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. Junior Achievement has 109 local JA Areas across the nation, and together they are that nation’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures, and make smart academic and economic choices.

Southwest Regional Manufacturers Association serves as a valuable resource to connect manufacturers that call Southwest Florida home with educational and informational support, CEO roundtable discussions, networking events, public relations tools, human resources needs, grants, awards and recognition at a regional and state level.

The Southwest Florida Regional Technology Partnership is a nonprofit membership organization that encourages the development, growth and attraction of technology companies and resources in Southwest Florida. The membership is comprised of technology companies and users, economic development groups and higher education institutions. Together, they promote and expand the regional technology sector through seminars, forums, and educational programs.