West Palm Beach, Fla. (June 15, 2023) – The National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) has presented their National Workforce Employer of the Year award to CareerSource Palm Beach County and the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County for their partnership to improve economic and employment development in the region. The award was presented today at the CareerSource Palm Beach County board of directors meeting in West Palm Beach.
“The Workforce Employer of the Year award recognizes a private-sector employer or employer consortium who partners and collaborates with their local workforce partners to create a positive impact in their local area,” said Melissa Robbins, NAWDP’s Chief Executive Officer.
The partnership has been fruitful with new industry data showing Palm Beach County is home to 463 corporate, subsidiary & regional offices; 2,897 financial services and hedge funds; 1,628 aviation / aerospace / engineering companies; 2,189 infotech companies; 5,496 healthcare companies; 682 distribution & logistics centers; and 1,424 manufacturing companies (see NAWDP’s attached announcement for details on these accomplishments).
“We are incredibly pleased and proud that our achievements arising from our partnership with the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County have been nationally recognized with this award,” said Julia Dattolo, President and CEO of CareerSource Palm Beach County. “Our partnership has created a much more diversified, high-quality employer base, making our economy more resilient – and contributing to record low unemployment rates for more than a year.”
“CareerSource Palm Beach County has been an impactful partner of the Business Development Board’s economic development efforts and it’s an honor to receive this prestigious award together. This partnership will continue to stimulate economic energy and enrich the vitality of Palm Beach County as more corporate citizens relocate to and expand in the Palm Beaches,” said Kelly Smallridge, President and CEO of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County (BDB).
This is the second national award CareerSource Palm Beach County has recently received. The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) presented their national Trailblazer Award to CareerSource PBC in 2021. The award recognizes a workforce board that has been a leader in developing comprehensive workforce solutions for its communities.
In addition to today’s award, the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County received nearly 10 national, state and local awards since 2022. The BDB also is one of only 66 in the world to be an Accredited Economic Development Board and has been internationally recognized in the past for marketing strategies and programs.
Kelly Smallridge, President and CEO of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County (left) and Julia Dattolo, President and CEO of CareerSource Palm Beach County (right)
CareerSource Palm Beach County and the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County have been honored with the National Workforce Employer of the Year award by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) for their successful partnership in enhancing economic and employment growth in the region. The award was presented at the CareerSource Palm Beach County board of directors meeting, acknowledging their efforts in creating a diverse and resilient employer base, contributing to record low unemployment rates, and attracting more businesses to the area.
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About CareerSource Palm Beach County:
CareerSource Palm Beach County is the nonprofit organization chartered by the state to lead workforce development in Palm Beach County. During the past five program years, CareerSource Palm Beach County assisted nearly 45,000 residents find employment/reemployment ranging from entry-level to executive suite, with salaries from these jobs creating $700 million in annual wages. CareerSource also awarded $14.7 million in grants to area businesses and employees for job training and educational assistance during that time. More information is at www.careersourcepbc.com
About the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County:
The Business Development Board of Palm Beach County is the official public/private economic development organization for Palm Beach County. Founded in 1982 as a not-for-profit corporation, our primary purpose is to attract and retain new industry, business investment, high quality jobs and workforce development through corporate relocations, expansions and international trade. During the past five years, the BDB has assisted companies that have created more than 12,822 direct jobs with average salaries greater than $69,062, resulting in more than $777 million in capital investment to Palm Beach County and an economic impact that exceeds $6.87 billion. Additional information can be found at the BDB’s website, BDB.org.
About the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals:
NAWDP provides education, resources, and certification credibility to individuals seeking to thrive as thought leaders and innovators in the workforce development industry. As the leading advocate for workforce development professionals, NAWDP builds relationships and connections with other industry-leading organizations to challenge and collaborate for the advancement of the industry. The NAWDP is the heartbeat of workforce development. For more information on NAWDP’s programs, CWDP Certification, and membership go to www.nawdp.org
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