The Florida Senate

288.9950  Workforce Florida Act of 1996.--

(1)  This section may be cited as the "Workforce Florida Act of 1996."

(2)  The goal of this section is to utilize the workforce development system to upgrade dramatically Floridians' workplace skills, economically benefiting the workforce, employers, and the state.

(3)  These principles should guide the state's efforts:

(a)  Floridians must upgrade their skills to succeed in today's workplace.

(b)  In business, workforce skills are the key competitive advantage.

(c)  Workforce skills will be Florida's key job-creating incentive for business.

(d)  Budget cuts, efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability mandate the consolidation of program services and the elimination of unwarranted duplication.

(e)  Streamlined state and local partnerships must focus on outcomes, not process.

(f)  Locally designed, customer-focused, market-driven service delivery works best.

(g)  Job training curricula must be developed in concert with the input and needs of existing employers and businesses, and must consider the anticipated demand for targeted job opportunities, as specified by the Occupational Forecasting Conference under s. 216.136.

(h)  Job placement, job retention, and return-on-investment should control workforce development expenditures and be a part of the measure for success and failure.

(i)  Success will be rewarded and failure will have consequences.

(j)  Job placement success will be publicly measured and reported to the Legislature.

(k)  Apprenticeship programs, pursuant to s. 446.011, which provide a valuable opportunity for preparing citizens for productive employment, will be encouraged.

(l)  Self-employment and small business ownership will be options that each worker can pursue.

(4)  The workforce development strategy shall be designed by the Workforce Development Board pursuant to s. 288.9952, and shall be centered around the strategies of First Jobs/First Wages and High Skills/High Wages.

(a)  First Jobs/First Wages is the state's strategy to promote successful entry into the workforce through education and workplace experience that lead to self-sufficency and career advancement. The components of the strategy include efforts that enlist business, education, and community support for students to achieve long-term career goals, ensuring that young people have the academic and occupational skills required to succeed in the workplace. The strategy also includes the Work and Gain Economic Self-sufficency (WAGES) effort that is the state's welfare-to-work program designed and developed by the WAGES Program State Board of Directors.

(b)  High Skills/High Wages is the state's strategy for aligning education and training programs with high-paying, high-demand occupations that advance individuals' careers, build a more skilled workforce, and enhance Florida's efforts to attract and expand job-creating business.

(5)  The workforce development system shall utilize a charter process approach aimed at encouraging local design and control of service delivery and targeted activities. The Workforce Development Board shall be responsible for granting charters to regional workforce development boards that have a membership consistent with the requirements of federal and state law and that have developed a plan consistent with the state's workforce development strategy. The plan shall specify methods for allocating the resources and programs in a manner that eliminates unwarranted duplication, minimizes administrative costs, meets the existing job market demands and the job market demands resulting from successful economic development activities, ensures access to quality workforce development services for all Floridians, and maximizes successful outcomes. As part of the charter process, the Workforce Development Board shall establish incentives for effective coordination of federal and state programs, outline rewards for successful job placements, and institute collaborative approaches among local service providers. Local decisionmaking and control shall be important components for inclusion in this charter application.

History.--s. 1, ch. 96-404; s. 51, ch. 99-251.

Note.--Former s. 446.601.