Nineteen individuals recently graduated from training programs developed by CareerEdge Funders Collaborative: 10 American Red Cross-trained nurse assistants and nine automotive technicians from Suncoast Technical College—and each one was pre-screened and hired by an employer prior to starting their classes. All of the Nurse Assistant students were chosen by Tidewell Hospice; the Automotive Express students were hired by local dealerships. The goal of these educational programs is to engage employers in the talent identification process on the front end, while also offering individuals guaranteed employment once they complete the trainings. The nursing program ran four nights per week for seven weeks, while the twice-a-week evening automotive course was 11 weeks long.  Both classes had 100% completion rates and provided graduates starting wages of $12 to $13 per hour. CareerEdge will continue to work directly with employers to find solutions to their talent needs, and to encourage them to be active participants in the workforce development process. Funding for the certification programs was made possible by Gulf Coast Community Foundation donors Walt and Renee Eppard.

CareerEdge Funders Collaborative