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St. Johns Positioned to Lead in Workforce Development
Ask any development professional or the human resources office at any business and they will say finding employees with the skills to fill 21st century jobs is a major factor in business and economic success. In St. Johns County, that reality has fueled efforts to ensure local businesses and residents are prepared to meet the challenges of a changing world.
“Having a workforce that can meet the needs of current and prospective employers is vital to the economic prosperity and wellbeing of the residents of St. Johns County,” said Sara Maxfield, St. Johns County director of economic development. “As technology and business practices constantly evolve, job seekers who can easily adapt or already have those desired skillsets are in a much stronger position when new opportunities arrive. Simultaneously, a strong workforce is an asset to the county when attracting employers that provide jobs and wages that can meet the ever-rising costs of everyday expenses.”
Maxfield said St. Johns has some advantages over other areas in providing educational and employment opportunities for residents.
“St. Johns County finds itself in a unique position that approximately 50% of all adults aged 25 and above in the county have attained a bachelor’s degree or higher,” she said. “This is well above the national average (approximately 30%) and uncommon outside of university towns such as Gainesville or Tallahassee. This key aspect makes us competitive for industries seeking a traditionally educated workforce.”
While having an educated population is a major plus in attracting new business development and keeping existing businesses healthy, that is only one piece of the economic development puzzle.
“It is difficult to raise that statistic much higher (even in a university town) and the job market seems to be trending away from traditional education as a mandated requirement,” Maxfield said. “Apprenticeships, on-the-job training and skillset certifications are a growing desire among employers across all sectors. Even more attractive are the soft skills, such as communication, time management and teamwork, which are becoming more essential as the remote work era seems to be coming to a close. St. Johns County and its partners continue to explore ways for jobseekers to improve in those areas.”
To maintain its competitive advantage in the area of jobs and talent, Maxfield said the county is taking a proactive approach.
“St. Johns County has strongly positioned itself to be a leader in workforce and talent development in Florida,” she said. “The St. Johns County School District is consistently ranked No.1 in the state, with an ever-growing list of career academies that prepare students for a postsecondary career with or without college. First Coast Technical College provides excellent career and technical training education to young and adult learners, connecting them with real opportunities in St. Johns County once completing their program of study.”
The cooperative and collaborative efforts to enhance workforce development is also a big part of the picture in St. Johns, Maxfield said.
“As further evidence of the county’s commitment to developing a world-class workforce, a partnership between St. Johns County, St. Johns County School District, First Coast Technical College, the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, and the U. S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is executing the construction of a $21 million regional workforce development project,” she said. “A new 20,000-square foot training facility in Hastings will bring high-value training and apprenticeship opportunities strongly desired in Northeast Florida and beyond.”
