CareerEdge Funders announced a new $250,000 effort to fund training for targeted career fields. The Barancik Foundation provided a grant to fund the program, the first major move from the foundation under new President and CEO Teri A. Hansen. 

“CareerEdge’s innovative approach to workforce development will fuel the mending economy and lead to greater economic growth and expansion,” said Hansen, who previously led the Gulf Coast Community Foundation for 13 years. The Gulf Coast Community Foundation right now is conducting a national search for a new CEO. Hansen announced in March she would take on the new role at Barancik so she would have the opportunity to grow a new philanthropic force in the region from the ground level. "The opportunity to work for the Barancik Foundation to help create their legacy during their lifetime is something special," she told SRQ at the time. CareerEdge announced the partnership with Barancik on Hansen’s first day on the job. 

Mireya Eavey, CareerEdge executive director, characterized the new relationship as capable of realigning the local workforce’s skill level with the needs of regional employers. The money specifically will fund training and paid internships for health care, manufacturing, information technology, transportation and logistics workers, all industries targeted by CareerEdge based on research on needed training within the local job market. “We want to improve the quality of living for the working poor, so that they are able to sustain a family lifestyle without having to work two jobs with minimal pay,” said Eavey.