Leaders of five major Jacksonville organizations, with four of the CEOs on the job fewer than five months, collectively agreed Thursday to align their groups and goals in an effort to create a Jacksonville workforce that can compete globally.
"We have a lot of new and exciting leaders," said panelist Jerry Mallot, interim president of the JAX Chamber and the local veteran of the five with 19 years' experience in Jacksonville.
"We have to raise the bar by working together," he said.
Almost 200 people registered to attend to 2013 Workforce Summit at the University of North Florida Herbert University Center. The 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. event was titled "The People Part of Economic Development. New Workforce Strategies for a New Day." It was hosted by WorkSource.
A panel discussion featured Jacksonville University President Tim Cost, Jacksonville Transportation Authority CEO Nathaniel Ford, Florida State College at Jacksonville interim President Willis Holcombe, Duval County Superintendent Nikolai Vitti and Mallot.
Mallot, also president of the JAXUSA Partnership economic development division of the JAX Chamber, joined the chamber's staff in 1994. The other four panelists began working in their positions starting in November.
Navigy Principal Elaine Johnson moderated the workforce panel discussion. Navigy is a subsidiary of Florida Blue.
"There is a unique alignment of the stars here, in what is happening in leadership here," Ford said to the group and to his fellow panelists. "We recognize the interdependence."
"If we create that alignment, we can attract more jobs," Vitti said.
Each panelist discussed his organization's individual role in preparing the area's workforce for globally competitive jobs in Northeast Florida. Education and training for those jobs; recruiting companies with quality jobs for the area workforce; and ensuring efficient transportation systems to connect people to their employment were among the topics.
Cost and Holcombe said they wanted to continue to work closely with employers and students to prepare the emerging workforce for jobs. Vitti said internships for high-school students are valuable training tools.
Another subject was critical thinking. Vitti said the public school system will include a focus on critical thinking, problem-solving and preparing "people who can think on their feet."
Critical thinking includes what Ford called "social skills," or the "soft skills" needed in work environments to foster a productive workforce.
Cost said it was important to "finish our job" in making sure college graduates are prepared for the professional world. "Do they know how to enter a room like this as a 22-year-old and represent their organizations?"
Holcombe said those "soft skills" can be developed through internships, "the introduction to work" environments.
Mallot said more jobs are on the way to Northeast Florida, which he emphasized as a region. JAXUSA Partnership comprises Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties.
Mallot said the area unemployment rate is dropping and there are labor shortages in some industries, such as for specialized engineering and information technology positions.
"Our economy is doing great," he said. Mallot said 11 projects and 2,000 jobs have been announced this year and "more are coming."
Keynote speaker Del Boyette, of Boyette Strategic Advisors of Little Rock, Ark., outlined national workforce trends that included "on-shoring," or the return of operations that companies had moved off-shore; the trend among baby boomers to delay retirement and remain in the workforce in full-time or part-time jobs; and the continuing need in many positions for college degrees or other post-secondary training.
"By 2020, there will be five generations in the workplace," Boyette said, saying that workforce training needs will be "unlike any time in history."
Barquilla, Bazaldua, Little named state Small Business Leaders
Three Jacksonville business owners were named state Small Business Leaders of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
• Brian Barquilla, owner of Advantage Business Magazine, was named "State of Florida Small Business Media Advocate of the Year."
• Eloy Bazaldua, president of R.M. Myers Co. Inc., was named "State of Florida Minority Owned Small Business Person of the Year."
• Lauren Little, franchise owner of Edible Arrangements, was named "State of Florida Veteran Owned Small Business Person of the Year."
Barquilla, Bazaldua and Little also were North Florida Small Business Week District winners.
The 21st Annual Small Business Week & Lender Awards Celebration in Jacksonville is scheduled from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the University of North Florida Herbert University Center.
For event information, visit sbdc.unf.edu. For information about the local winners and programs, visit sba.gov/fl/north.
VyStar renovating in Riverside
The City approved the permit for VyStar Credit Union's renovations of the former First Guaranty Bank and Trust Co. building at 760 Riverside Ave.
Dana B. Kenyon Co. is the contractor for the $221,777 project, shown on plans as an interior renovation, including painting, flooring and partition walls, of the two-story building.
Plans show interior renovations of 12,730 square feet of space. Reynolds, Smith & Hills Inc. is the project designer. The City also has approved signs for the project.
As reported in February, Jacksonville-based VyStar Credit Union bought the former First Guaranty Bank and Trust Co. of Jacksonville property for $1.5 million from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which was appointed the receiver for First Guaranty.
Records show the two-story, 13,500-square-foot building and property carried a 2012 taxable value of $1.85 million.
The Daily Record reported in October that property records showed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. had recently sold several former First Guaranty Bank and Trust Co. properties, including another to VyStar at 10903 Baymeadows Road for $1.64 million.
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