Pamela Nabors, President & CEO, CareerSource Central Florida

Invest: sat down with Pamela Nabors, president and CEO of CareerSource Central Florida, to discuss the workforce development initiatives that are most pertinent to the region, how CareerSource Central Florida is taking a “BOLD” approach to innovation, and why it is important to be agile in the face of changes.

What were some of the highlights for CareerSource Central Florida in the past year?

It has been a very successful year for CareerSource Central Florida. We launched our BOLD initiative, which is our strategic initiative for growth. B is our commitment to being brilliant in service delivery to both employers and job seekers. We measure success through customer satisfaction ratings, which have been continuously over 80% from our customers.

O means we are striving towards optimizing innovations in our work. We’ve implemented an internal customer relationship management (CRM) approach to manage our business accounts better and continue using a project management or PMO approach internally to improve service delivery. 

L is key to leading our people. This past year, we launched our internal BOLD Leadership Academy, offering accreditation for our executive leaders and middle management, and we’ll continue accrediting more leaders in the next few years. 

And finally, D is about developing resiliency as an organization through new revenue. We exceeded our new revenue diversity goal — by 230%!

Overall, we’ve performed exceptionally on our state and federal metrics and consistently earned an A+ rating from Florida Commerce. Recently, we were awarded the Purple Star by CareerSource Florida for exceptional service to our veteran community, one of only five workforce boards in the state to receive this recognition. 

What role do partnerships with local businesses, educational institutions, and other organizations play in the success of CareerSource Central Florida’s initiatives?

Our local partnerships are integral to our success. We have significant partnerships with educational providers like Valencia College, Orange County Public Schools, Osceola Technical Education, Lake Tech, and Seminole State College. These institutions are crucial in upskilling our residents. Through skilled training programs, we upskilled over 3,000 individuals in growing occupations such as advanced manufacturing and healthcare.

We also have exceptional partnerships with our county governments. For example, the Level Up Orange program, in partnership with Orange County Government, has trained over 1,500 individuals in demand careers. We’ve also launched initiatives like the High School Career Express program, where juniors and seniors get to immerse themselves in key regional businesses, such as Lockheed Martin and Universal Studios, giving students a head start in understanding local jobs and careers.

Business partnerships are also key. CSCF provided recruitment and training services to nearly 4,000 local businesses last year. Notably, we’ve been involved in the emerging semiconductor industry and advanced packaging initiative at NeoCity, alongside Osceola County, Valencia College, and the University of Central Florida. This initiative has won significant grant awards, including recognition from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Economic Development Agency (EDA).

What are some initiatives specific to upskilling and training people to enter different industries?

Upskilling helps people learn skills to add to their personal portfolio. In our community, CSCF focuses on six high growth/wage industries: healthcare, advanced manufacturing, trade and logistics, professional/business services, and hospitality services.

In healthcare, for example, westart individuals on the nursing track by becoming medical assistants or paramedics, partnering with hospitals like HCA, Orlando Health, and Advent Health. In manufacturing, trade, and logistics, there’s a constant need for truck drivers and logistics specialists. In professional services, we help individuals enhance their digital skills, which are increasingly essential across all industries.

What are CareerSource Central Florida’s primary strategic goals over the next five years?

Over the next five years,CareerSource Central Florida has three strategic goals. Advance the BOLD Initiative, embrace technology and digital innovation, and ensure organizational excellence and resiliency. We aim to be the go-to organization for workforce development services, consistently achieving high customer satisfaction and exceptional performance in training, credential acquisition, and job placement.

We will focus on understanding economic changes, particularly in technology and artificial intelligence. We aim to be an innovative organization responding to these changes and leveraging technology in service delivery, including establishing a full service virtual Career Center.

As a nonprofit, we also plan to further diversify our revenue streams. Our goal is to have at least one-third of our revenue come from unallocated sources in three years, ensuring we can consistently deliver high-quality services despite fluctuations in public funding.

How do you believe artificial intelligence will impact the workforce of the future?

Artificial intelligence will significantly impact the workforce by requiring workers to learn new tools and technologies. For example, using AI tools like Microsoft’s suite efficiently will become an integral part of daily work. Workers need to be agile and learn these tools to stay competitive. AI may change the nature of jobs, and those who don’t adapt may find themselves vulnerable in the labor market.

There’s also a generational aspect in today’s workforce, with 5 generations of workers currently employed from Baby Boomers to Gen Alpha. Some cohorts more readily embrace technology. This dynamic creates opportunities and challenges in workforce development, requiring CSCF to help businesses and workers navigate these changes.

What are some of the other overarching challenges CareerSource Central Florida experiences, and how do you work around them to create opportunities?

One of our significant challenges is workforce attrition and the need for highly skilled, productive employees. We’re focusing on understanding productivity and ensuring our staff are well-trained and agile.

Generational differences in the workforce also pose challenges, with varying values and expectations. We help businesses understand these dynamics and create competitive work environments.

The shift to hybrid work models and the tightening labor market also impacts us. Many businesses, including ours, are moving back to in-office work, which changes the competitive landscape for virtual job seekers. We’re adapting by focusing on the changing workforce needs and supporting both workers and businesses.

What are the short-term top priorities or upcoming projects you are particularly excited about?

In the short term, we’re excited about several technology projects, including upgrading our financial and CRM systems with AI capabilities. We’re also focusing on productivity, aiming to have highly skilled, agile, and productive employees to maintain high customer satisfaction and performance.

We’re thrilled about the diversity in Central Florida’s economy. The advanced packaging initiative at NeoCity and our alignment with the space industry both offer significant growth opportunities. We’ve established a great partnership with the University of Central Florida to support emerging sectors.

I’d like to add that the State of Florida and the Florida Commerce are very focused on increasing labor force participation. We’ve seen participation rates rise to 61.8%, which is higher than pre-pandemic levels. Our goal is to get more people into the workforce with the necessary skills to be productive and competitive, which is a big challenge but essential for our region’s growth.