Governor Ron DeSantis Announces First Florida Talent Development Council Meeting

Tallahassee, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the Florida Talent Development Council is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Monday, October 7, 2019. Created in CS/HB 7071: Workforce Education, the Florida Talent Development Council will work to develop a coordinated, data-driven, statewide approach to meeting Florida’s needs for a 21st-century workforce that employers and educators use as part of Florida’s talent supply system.
“Preparing Florida’s talent supply system to meet evolving workforce needs is critical to maintaining a strong and sustainable economy that continues to attract businesses to move and expand in Florida,” said Governor DeSantis. “The Talent Development Council will bring stakeholders to the table to find an industry-led solution and strategic plan on cultivating the talent needed for Florida’s workforce in the 21st century.”
“Under Governor DeSantis leadership, the council is committed to developing a coordinated, data-driven, statewide industry-focused approach to addressing talent development in Florida, ensuring that Florida will continue to be the premier destination for business expansion,” said Chairman of the Florida Talent Development Council Joel Schleicher. “We are bringing together members that understand the needs of Florida, and I am eager for us to start the conversation.”
The Florida Talent Development Council, administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, is tasked with creating a strategic plan to ensure 60 percent of working-age Floridians hold a high-value postsecondary credential by 2030.
“Governor DeSantis is committed to strengthening the alignment between industry and learning,” said Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Ken Lawson. “The Florida Talent Development Council is a conduit to bring together educators, education institutions, business leaders and economic development professionals to discuss the needs and identify the solutions for developing and maintaining a diverse and highly skilled workforce for Florida.”
Members of the Florida Talent Development Council include:
  • Joel Schleicher, appointed by the Governor;
  • Senator Travis Hutson, appointed by the President of the Senate;
  • Representative Rene Plasencia, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
  • Michelle Dennard, President of CareerSource Florida, Inc.;
  • Jamal Sowell, President and CEO of Enterprise Florida, Inc.;
  • Ken Lawson, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity;
  • Richard Corcoran, Commissioner of Education.
  • Bob Ward, President and CEO of the Florida Council of 100;
  • Mark Wilson, President of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
  • Timothy M. Cerio, appointed by the chair of the Board of Governors.
  • Marva Johnson, appointed by the chair of the State Board of Education.
The council will also have ex officio nonvoting members from the State University System, the Florida College System, Chancellor of Career and Adult Education at the Florida Department of Education, the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida and the Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges.
For more information, visit FloridaJobs.org/TalentDevelopmentCouncil.
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