Focus on Manatee: Collaborative commitment to workforce development is strong in our area

Last month, CareerSource Suncoast had the pleasure of hosting 40 business leaders to discuss what affects us all the most: recruitment, training and retention of the workforce.

Specifically, the importance of a buy-in from all involved, which means encouraging everyone in the community (from residents to business leaders) to be ready and willing to take action.

Lisa Krouse, FCCI’s executive vice president and chief human resources and corporate communications officer, opened the meeting by discussing her perspective on community involvement in the workforce.

I wanted to share her words with you and figured the best way to hear it would be directly from her, so I’ve asked her to contribute to this column.

Here is her story as an employer:

The objective of having a diverse group of businesses and community leaders in one room is so we can focus on the need to work together.

I am delighted to share an employer’s perspective on why it is essential to be involved in the community conversation around workforce development. The fact that businesses are willing to meet and invest valuable time to join in the conversation demonstrates the collaborative commitment we all have to this important topic.

FCCI is a commercial property and casualty insurance company with 840 teammates headquartered in Lakewood Ranch. From an employer’s perspective, we believe it is essential to be involved in the community conversation around workforce development.

As communities around our state and globe vie for talent — and the nature of work changes — it is important that our community come together to prepare for the future so that businesses can thrive right here, without the need to go anywhere else for talent.

It takes an investment on the part of employers, in collaboration with our community partners. At FCCI, we too are competing to recruit, develop and retain the best talent that our community has to offer and to attract talent to the community that we love.

This summer, FCCI hired 24 paid interns who were professional, creative, high-caliber individuals who came from our local schools and universities. When we interview for interns, we look not only for an intern of today but also for an employee of tomorrow.

We look for a strong connection and root to our Sarasota/Manatee communities so that following technical training or college, there is good reason to stay right here at home.

I firmly believe that as we work together, we will face the future with confidence.

Ted Ehrlichman, president and CEO of CareerSource Suncoast, writes about workforce issues across the region.