Adrienne Johnston: Florida built a workforce system for growth. Let’s use it.

Forget what you have known about workforce development for decades. As Florida prepares to welcome a new Governor and members of the Legislature, its next leaders will inherit a modernized workforce system that does far more than connect employers with job seekers. CareerSource Florida and its statewide network give Florida a competitive advantage for economic development. Over the past several years, Florida has intentionally reshaped how it develops talent to better support economic growth. The state recently undertook the first comprehensive modernization of its workforce system in nearly 30 years. This effort increased collaboration among workforce, education, economic development, and government partners. It strengthened accountability, improved service delivery for job seekers and businesses, and laid the foundation for continued improvements in policy, technology, and regional planning. That modernization matters because talent is economic infrastructure. Local services remain e