The Florida College Access Network (FCAN), in partnership with local college access networks (LCANs) as well as stakeholders in the talent ecosystem such as educators and community based organizations, have launched a new campaign stressing the importance of education after high school to build a resilient and thriving economy.  The Talent Strong Florida campaign seeks to build a strong consensus around the need for education beyond high school for all Floridians.

In Northeast Florida, the LCAN is Earn Up, a collective impact model designed to increase post-secondary attainment to 60 percent by 2030.  This goal aligns with Florida’s SAIL (Strengthening Alignment between Industry and Learning) to 60 initiative.

Education beyond high school builds economic strength for individuals and for the state.  The top 10 fastest growing jobs in Florida all require degrees and certificates beyond high school.  COVID-19 statistics demonstrate that Floridians with the least education have been the hardest hit.

The campaign aims to remove barriers contributing to educational attainment gaps for lower income Floridians and people of color.  In addition to bachelor’s degrees, two-year degrees, high-quality certificate programs, technical training, and apprenticeships provide a range of options to help Floridians become more likely to withstand economic disruptions like COVID-19.

Regional college and university partners are committed to postsecondary attainment, and the opportunities will lead to the highly-skilled talent that companies need.

In Northeast Florida, there are a multitude of ways for individuals to obtain training after high school or following military service, to update skills, or change career paths due to the accessibility of universities, state colleges, private training vendors and apprenticeship providers.

Most recent attainment data shows regional colleges produced 12 percent more students with post-secondary credentials.

Through this campaign, FCAN and Earn Up encourage all in the talent ecosystem to build a talent strong workforce leading to a more resilient economy.  For information on how to get involved, visit http://floridacollegeaccess.org/talent-strong-florida/.