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Pinellas County launches 1 Pinellas business alliance push linking employers, colleges and cities on workforce and housing
Summary
County economic development staff and local partners described the 1 Pinellas Business Alliance on April 17 as a stakeholder forum to align workforce training, affordable housing input and coordinated regional outreach. Presenters said the initiative created a common data-driven approach and new incentives to close employer skill gaps.
Pinellas County economic development officials on April 17 told the Board of County Commissioners that the 1 Pinellas Business Alliance is intended to bring employers, St. Petersburg College, workforce agencies and cities together to address workforce skills gaps and housing needs across the county.
The alliance grew from a 2023 CEO exchange and regular roundtable meetings that organizers say let industry leaders identify exactly which technical skills they need and then shape training and incentive programs accordingly. Cynthia Johnson, director of Pinellas County economic development, said the county’s Employment Sites Program has drawn national recognition and that county staff are now tying that work to workforce and housing strategies through the alliance.
Why it matters: county and city leaders said aligning employers, training providers and municipalities could speed hiring for local employers, increase wages for residents who complete training, and help planners target affordable housing and recruitment support where new workers will live. Commissioners pressed for details on program scope, eligibility and…
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