Given the high demand for skilled workers in the region, CareerEdge Funders Collaborative is partnering with educational institutions to provide short-term “express” programs in order to quickly move individuals into apprenticeship-based occupations in the trades. One such program is targeting automotive mechanics. CareerEdge is partnering with Suncoast Technical College (STC) and Gettel Automotive to recruit entry-level automotive technician trainees for jobs at the dealership’s six service centers in Sarasota and Bradenton, in combination with a special STC “express” training program. Gettel Automotive will hire individuals with no experience at $12 per hour for full or part-time trainee positions. The new hires must then attend a mandatory free 10-week training program at STC on Monday and Wednesday nights, July 17 to September 25. Once participants complete the 10-week class, they will be paid $13 per hour full time with benefits, with the potential for additional certifications and growth through the automotive apprenticeship program.  Average wages for mechanics are between $40,000 and $50,000. CareerEdge is also partnering with Manatee Technical College on express programs for plumbing and electrician certifications, and with Learning Alliance for a short-tern Broadband Technician program. The automotive technician express program is funded by CareerEdge and a donor through the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. CareerEdge is an innovative partnership of business, government, and philanthropic organizations that leverages public and private dollars to provide opportunities for better jobs and wages in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

CareerEdge Funders Collaborative