JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A workforce readiness event was held Thursday with the goal of connecting people to short-term training programs that will lead to high-wage jobs.
Jacksonville City Council Vice President Sam Newby is behind the effort called Operation Boost.
“To try to get them living wage jobs,” Newby said. “A lot of people in our society have minimum wage jobs, but this is to give a person a chance to get a living wage job for their families.”
Part of the process is to show people available scholarships and financial aid. That offsets the cost of training programs.
Participants also get to meet with admissions representatives from the programs and investigate what works best for them.
Antonizia King and Daniel Tedrozo were two of the first to arrive at Thursday’s Operation Boost event, hoping for a peek into their futures.
“Yes, definitely looking for something to get into. I’m only 26, so, you know, starting (to) find a career,” King said.
Tedrozo said: “Just to expand my knowledge, probably learn something new and then look into getting back to school.”
The events connect Florida State College at Jacksonville with workers and spotlights careers ranging from information technology to construction.
“A lot of people from up north and a lot of companies are moving to Jacksonville, but we don’t have the workforce to support the companies that are moving here,” Newby said. “So this is another opportunity to help Jacksonville have the workforce and to give our citizens a new chance and a new start at life.”
Thursday’s event was held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Mary Lena Gibbs Community Center on Wilson Boulevard.
There’s another event planned for this weekend. It’s set to take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Flossie Brunson Eastside Park on Franklin Street.
To learn more, go to fscj.edu/boost.