Florida Chamber Foundation Welcomes Indian River State College’s Bill Solomon to its Future of Work Florida Initiative Advisory Board

June 27, 2022 Suzanne Seldes

Bill Solomon headshot Indian River State College (IRSC) is pleased to share that Bill Solomon, Dean of Workforce Education & Advanced Technology, is a new Advisory Board Member for the Florida Chamber Foundation Future of Work Florida Initiative. The Future of Work Initiative brings together businesses from across the state to join forces with the workforce and education community to tackle the talent crisis and re-imagine Florida’s workforce by helping workers attain the skills necessary for in-demand jobs.

“There is a massive information gap between employers and job seekers, between today’s students and career opportunities that they may pursue,” said Florida Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Mark Wilson. “As a result, the Future of Work Florida Initiative seeks to champion the value of work and raise awareness of career possibilities to close the existing workforce skills gap and enhance Florida’s future talent pipeline.”

On its path to becoming a top 10 global economy, Florida must create an estimated 1.62 million net new jobs by 2030. However, with 499,371 open jobs currently and only 313,000 people actively looking for work, there are far more open jobs than people actively looking for employment.

The Future of Work Initiative seeks to change the narrative around career and technical education (CTE), skilled trades, apprenticeships and other career pathways. Once labeled as “dirty, dumb, and dangerous,” research conducted by the Florida Chamber shows “next Florida” jobs of the future in skilled trades are “clean, innovative, and lucrative.”

“Today’s students are tomorrow’s workforce, and Florida’s business community needs to ensure we are educating our future workers of all opportunities and career paths available to them, especially trades and technical occupations that have been overlooked in recent decades,” said Bill Solomon, Indian River State College Dean of Workforce Education & Advanced Technology.

The Future of Work Florida Initiative has created a multi-year plan to unite and harness the power of thousands of Florida businesses, dozens of local chambers and economic development groups, education partners, HR leaders, hiring managers and more, to turn this workforce crisis into a competitive strength for Florida.

Other inaugural Future of Work Florida Initiative Advisory Board members include David Cross, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida SVP, HR & Administration; Sarah Marmion, Florida Power & Light Company Manager of Education and Outreach Centers; Sam Verghese, Florida Virtual School Chief Operating Officer; and Mike Brannen, Miller Electric Company SVP of Industrial and Workforce Development.

To learn more about the Future of Work Florida Initiative, visit www.FLChamber.com/FutureofWorkFlorida.