Featured Topics

Keeping the Cash Flowing
Three entrepeneurs give tips on how they generate positive cash flow.
5 Tips for Real Estate Decision Making
Entrepreneurs and real estate experts help you decide whether to buy or lease your business location.
What They Didn't Tell Me
A dozen entrepreneurs under age 40 talk about their business challenges and milestones.
   

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Doing Business in Florida
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In The Know
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Resources...
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Florida Small Business
Resource Directory

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Resources

Workforce and Employment Resources

Employ Florida

(866) FLA-2345
www.EmployFlorida.com

Employ Florida is an affiliate branding program created to help employers quickly find workforce resources throughout the state without having to know the names of 24 different workforce regions and the nearly 100 local one-stop centers. Local affiliates can provide personalized assistance to business owners who are looking for new employees as well as information on training resources in the area and hiring incentives. As an alternative to visiting a local one-stop center, business owners can locate and access resources virtually anywhere using the Employ Florida Marketplace.

Employ Florida Marketplace
This powerful online labor market exchange tool was specifically designed for employers, job seekers, students, training providers, workforce customer service representatives and professionals. The Employ Florida Marketplace (EFM) provides fast access to a complete set of employment tools in one website. This system is designed to be comfortable for everyone, even the person who has little computer experience.
As of April 2006 there were 91,000+ individuals and 6,500+ employers registered and close to 18,000 active resumes in the EFM. Approximately 4 million unique job listings have been posted on the EFM since its launch in spring 2005, resulting in 505,000+ job referrals.

Workforce Florida Inc.

(850) 921-1119
www.WorkforceFlorida.com

Appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush and chaired by Katherine Wilson, assistant vice president, CSX Corporation, the Workforce Florida board sets policy and provides oversight to 24 regional workforce boards in designing and implementing programs to develop a skilled workforce that meets the needs of Florida’s businesses.
The Workforce Florida board is tasked with developing strategies to target the needs of job seekers and employers across the employment spectrum – from entry into the workforce to cultivating workers to fill coveted high-skill/high-demand jobs. Workforce Florida also administers two employer-specific customized training programs – one for new workers and one for existing workers.

Quick Response Training Program (QRT)
This program provides grant funding for customized training for new or expanding businesses that produce an exportable product or service. The companies must be creating full-time, high-quality jobs requiring specialized training that is not available in the local community. Priority is given to businesses in targeted industries and in distressed urban and rural areas of Florida. Through this customer-driven program, Florida is able to effectively retain and attract businesses creating high-quality jobs. Information and application for the QRT program can be accessed at:
www.WorkforceFlorida.com

Incumbent Worker Training Program (IWT)
Employers already doing business in Florida may qualify to receive assistance with some of the expenses associated with retraining their existing workforce through the state’s nationally recognized

Incumbent Worker Training Program. This expense reimbursement grant program administered directly by Workforce Florida has assisted hundreds of businesses faced with the challenge of upgrading the skills of their workers to address changing technology, new product lines, new markets, etc. Businesses with 25 or fewer employees receive priority and, as with the Quick Response Training Program, priority is given to businesses in targeted industries and in distressed urban and rural parts of Florida. Information and an application for the IWT program can be accessed at
www.WorkforceFlorida.com

Agency for Workforce Innovation

(850) 245-7105
www.FloridaJobs.org

The Agency for Workforce Innovation is the lead state agency for implementing Florida policy on workforce development, welfare transition, unemployment compensation and workforce information. The agency houses the Office of Labor Market Statistics and serves as the designated U.S. Census data center for Florida. The agency also includes the Office of Early Learning, which administers the state’s Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program and the state’s school readiness programs.

Regional Workforce Board Business Services Contacts

Local control is another key component of Florida’s workforce system. While each of Florida’s 24 regional workforce boards has performance measures and contracts to provide accountability, the choice of initiatives and programs they implement are under the local board’s control. Local control allows for programs to address the economic development, business and workforce needs of each region.

Local Workforce Services
www.EmployFlorida.com
Locate local workforce services by using www.EmployFlorida.com or the regional business contacts listed below: