by Karen Brune Mathis, Staff Writer
Leaders of five major Jacksonville organizations, with four of the CEOs on the job fewer than five months, collectively agreed last month 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 UNF University Center. The 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."