This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Enterprise Florida for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
When you hear the word “cape” you probably automatically think of a superhero. Well in the state of Florida CAPE isn’t exactly a superhero, but it is a program that has the ability to grow Florida Talent! The Career and Professional Education Act (CAPE) was created in Florida to form a partnership between businesses and the education community, with the goal of sustaining a vibrant state economy.
Launched in 2007 as part of a sweeping legislative change, the bridge between school boards and the local workforce helps keep Florida’s economic engine churning, and more importantly, gives students an excellent opportunity to find gainful employment when their school career ends. It’s a program that helps Florida Business thrive.
I wish my coursework would have been better aligned with my field upon graduation! Instead, I had to track down my own (unpaid!) internships and spend a ton of time learning the ropes on my own.
Certifications, which require students to complete 150 hours of training, help put employers at ease that they are hiring workers, post-graduation, that understand the task at hand. Students can even earn money while in school! Paid mentorships allow students to embed themselves in certain careers on a full-time basis for a 6-week period. The experience is priceless. Additionally, the teachers who participate in these programs are incentivized as well.
Hundreds of thousands of students have gone through CAPE and have found fruitful careers in the Sunshine State. Doesn’t it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside thinking of a municipality taking care of its own?
Aside from preparing students for the working world, CAPE also allows them to get up close and personal with potential careers. This is a great way for students to figure out at an early age what they are or aren’t interested in. This assists both future worker and employer when it comes to reducing turnover, which often comes at a tremendous time and financial loss.
Cultivating talent through this program in Florida creates boundless opportunities and a talent pipeline that is top notch, allowing the state to recruit from within. Florida Innovation rivals its neighbors.
You would be hard-pressed to find a state with more universities and colleges that have relationships with large businesses. Two examples:
GE Wind Energy in Pensacola + UWF College of Engineering
While natural gas is still the largest contributor to our energy mix, renewable wind energy is growing at a record pace. And that growth trend is expected to keep blowing through 2050! There’s no doubt that Florida’s business climate has the potential for spectacular growth.
SAFT in Jacksonville + UNF College of Engineering
With an inordinate number of employees with PhDs, SAFT is a global company employing people from 49 countries.
Whether it’s military vehicles or spaceships, SAFT is powering industry all around the world, and Jacksonville residents are proud to have a SAFT America manufacturing facility in the region.
Today’s students are put into a position of being tomorrow’s leaders at these vastly dynamic and diverse technology enterprises. Florida’s future appears as bright as the sun. Heck, those beautiful beaches don’t hurt either!
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