Focus on Manatee: Rethinking workforce is more crucial than ever

Last May, CareerSource Suncoast hosted its inaugural State of Talent conference. More than 125 professionals from across Manatee and Sarasota counties met for a full day to hear from leading experts in a variety of hot topics in workforce, with a focus on how to better recruit, train and retain talent in our region.

With an impactful event last year and ongoing positive conversations with past attendees, I am excited to announce our second conference this May 24 at The Westin Sarasota. This larger space allows us to grow the event to 250 attendees and attract premier speakers who will be addressing issues related to this year’s theme, Rethink Workforce.

Automation, artificial intelligence and new technologies are rapidly transforming the workforce we know today, and many jobs of tomorrow don’t exist yet. How are you preparing for the workforce of the future?

The lineup of speakers for State of Talent Conference 2018 certainly will give you some ideas and action steps to take so your organization is proactive and not just reactive to the ever-changing marketplace.

We are fortunate to have Steven Pedigo, the director of cities and research for the Creative Class Group, a global think tank comprised of leading researchers, academics and strategists. He will use his expertise in providing cutting-edge analysis of economic and demographic trends for cities to talk about trends in our local economy and talent development.

Cissy Proctor, the executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, will join us to discuss her focus on ensuring Florida remains the top state in the nation for job creation by continued efforts to diversify Florida’s economy through partnerships across economic, workforce and community development.

Among the other speakers is Ringling College of Art + Design’s David Houle, futurist, thinker and keynote speaker. Houle is highly sought after and we are fortunate to have him with us to address the future of our local workforce. In eight years, he has spoken to or advised more than 3,500 CEOs and business owners, and is the perfect fit to engage in discussions with human resources professionals and business leaders in our region.

The CareerSource Suncoast State of Talent conferences bring together leadership, private employers, educators and public partners for essential community conversations about the future of our workforce. While there is always an immediate need to fill critical talent vacancies, it is also critical that the business community comes together to consider bold community solutions to prepare for the future.

For more information on the State of Talent Conference, visit stateoftalent.org.

This story was originally published March 11, 2018 at 8:35 AM with the headline "Focus on Manatee: Rethinking workforce is more crucial than ever."