Florida government, business and education leaders will gather in Orlando this week to discuss how state colleges and universities can better turn academic degrees into high-paying jobs.
Gov. Rick Scott created the invitation-only “Degrees to Jobs Summit” to put university and college presidents and trustees in talks with the business community.
“This really is a call to action,” said Cissy Proctor, executive director of the Florida Department of Employment Opportunity. “We want them to leave with an action plan.”
For instance, she said, the meeting could produce tailored internship programs or closer relationships between individual schools and businesses.
“We want to make sure we close the skills gap, so when a graduate leaves the university and goes into the workforce, they are ready to hit the ground running on day one,” she said.
The event will include state Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, Senate President Andy Gardiner and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, along with members of the state university system’s Board of Governors and trustees and presidents of universities and state colleges.
It also will include business people representing companies such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Florida Blue, CVS, Rayonier Advanced Materials, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Deutsche Bank and Harris Corporation.
Mark Wilson, president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, said the question among participants is how to better align what students are doing at the universities and colleges with what employers actually need.