Workforce boards helping Floridians find jobs

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Looking for work? You might want to consider turning to one of Florida's workforce boards.

They helped nearly 33,000 people land jobs in January. That was a 30-percent increase over December when the boards connected more than 25,000 people with new jobs.

Florida has 24 regional workforce boards. They manage one-stop career centers where job seekers can search job listings and learn about training programs.

The state is now tracking how many people find jobs through the One-Stop Centers because Gov. Rick Scott wants to measure the performance of workforce boards more closely.

The state started compiling a jobs placement report three months ago. The trend for job placements has been rising during that time, said Workforce Florida President Chris Hart.

"We are far from declaring victory at this point but what we are seeing is we're seeing a system that is being responsive to the market's needs," Hart said.

The top ranked board in January was the South Florida Workforce Board followed by the Pasco-Hernando board.

The goal of the report is to highlight which boards are having the most success connecting people with jobs and then sharing their strategies around the state.

"They're doing an excellent job in the 24 regional workforce boards of matching the job seekers with the skills needed today," said Hart. "And I know they're also looking at what the employers need tomorrow."