About Us:

 

Heartland Workforce (Regional Workforce Board 19) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide workforce development related growth opportunities to Businesses and Job Seekers – tailored to the specific needs of the customers and vision of the leaders for the tri-county area of DeSoto, Hardee, and Highlands.

 

Our responsibilities include (please click on any link for contacts, locations, and more information):

 

1. Establishing and staffing One-Stop Career Centers in each of the three counties. These facilities and related resources are provided at no-cost to local businesses and job-seekers. Click here for locations.
   
    
2. Establishing relationships with all local businesses and determining their staffing, training and expansion needs. Our workforce Business Services Team works one-on-one with each employer to assist with filling job vacancies, setting up hiring and promotional events, requesting and providing training funds, and preparing tax-credit and other workforce development incentives. Other services to local businesses include access to conference, screening, and interview rooms, along with small-business counseling.  Click here for more information.
   
    
3. Assisting Job-Seekers with placement into a position that is both rewarding and provides self-sufficient wages.   One-Stop Career Center staff offer a variety of services, including skill assessments, searching our database for the latest job listings, assisting with job referrals, GED and ESOL training, detailed veterans services, resume assistance, job-interview skills, job club mentoring, and use of our job-seeker phone, fax, copier, printer and internet computer terminals. Click here for more information.
   
    
4. Working closely with our community and one-stop career center partners. Our partners include (Please click on each of our partners for more information):

 

·    Workforce Florida, Inc. (WFI)

·    Florida’s Heartland Rural Economic Development Initiative (FHREDI)

·    The Heartland Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

·    South Florida Community College (SFCC)

·    State Of Florida Department Of Business And Professional Regulation (DBPR)

·    Avon Park Chamber of Commerce

·    Sebring Chamber of Commerce

·    Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce

·    DeSoto County Chamber of Commerce

·    Hardee County Chamber of Commerce

·    Highlands County Economic Development Commission

·    Hardee County Economic Development Office

·    DeSoto County Economic Development Office

 

A little background…….

 

As designated by the Governor, there are Twenty-four (24) Regional Workforce Boards in Florida.  Each of these regional boards oversee workforce development activities and collaborate with private and public-sector organizations to enhance their local economy.   Heartland Workforce represents the counties of DeSoto, Hardee, and Highlands, as Regional Workforce Board 19.  The Heartland Workforce Board was formed and operates under the guidance of the Heartland Workforce Consortium, comprised of the Boards of County Commissions of the tri-county area.

 

The Heartland Workforce Board has a diversified membership and is composed of elected officials from each of the counties, as well as private industry and business professionals, and representatives from Economic Development, Labor, Education, Veterans, Community-based and Faith-based Organizations.