Goal to transform Southwest Florida’s workforce
The 2020 Annual FutureMakers Coalition Champions Meeting will be held virtually on Thursday, September 17 from 7:30 a.m. to noon. The theme of this year’s meeting is 55%: A working revolution.
The FutureMakers Coalition aims to transform Southwest Florida’s workforce by increasing the proportion of working age adults with college degrees, workforce certificates, industry certifications and other high-quality credentials to 55 percent. The coalition has grown to over 300 FutureMakers representing business, education, government, nonprofits, philanthropy, residents, and students across Glades, Hendry, Collier, Lee, and Charlotte counties.
The public is welcome to join the virtual meeting by registering at https://bit.ly/3ln3M5h.
This year’s event will include an overview and update of the Coalition’s work, updates on Southwest Florida’s Talent Hub and a special report on how COVID has affected our region by Workforce Now. Douglas M. VanOort, CEO, NeoGenomics, Inc. will serve as the event’s keynote speaker and nationally renowned author and TED talk speaker Dan Pallotta will join for a Q&A with FutureMakers Coalition Director Tessa LeSage.
According to LeSage, this year’s virtual event will bring together the Champions Team members so they can better understand what collective leadership means to the success of the Coalition, contribute to the interpretation of the data and identify opportunities and contribute to moving the effort forward.
“The FutureMakers Coalition is poised to foster the social and economic conditions our company needs to source talent, find qualified contractors, and grow a vibrant and nurturing environment for success. Together, we can help the FutureMakers coalition meet their goal of 55% of the region’s workforce holding the credentials needed to fill in-demand jobs and earn a living wage,” said Jennifer Balliet, Chief Culture Officer, NeoGenomics, Inc. “We are thrilled to have our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Doug VanOort, be the keynote speaker at the Breakfast for Champions Event on September 17th, to kick off our longterm partnership in our local community.”
The Champions Team plays a pivotal role in the Coalition’s success. Team members include regional leaders who have the ability to create a stronger workforce and vibrant economy by improving cradle-to-career opportunities for students, offering job training and certifications, employee educational incentives and more.
“The Champions Team members are key leaders and influencers who, together, have the opportunity to help shift the culture and conversation in Southwest Florida,” said Sarah Owen, president and CEO of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation, the backbone organization for FutureMakers Coalition.
Southwest Florida has been designated a Talent Hub by the Lumina Foundation in partnership with The Kresge Foundation and received a $125,000 award to support local efforts to increase educational attainment.
The FutureMakers Coalition encourages businesses to join and contribute to sustaining this community-changing initiative by visiting https://www.futuremakerscoalition.com or emailing Tessa LeSage at TLeSage@floridacommunity.com.
