Spotlight On: Keidrian Kunkel, CEO, CareerSource Hillsborough Pinellas
May 2025 — In an interview with Invest:, Keidrian Kunkel, CEO of CareerSource Hillsborough Pinellas, shared her focus on expanding the organization’s regional footprint and accelerating direct job placement opportunities in healthcare, manufacturing, and IT. She highlighted the value of tailored workforce solutions and emphasized the region’s cooperative spirit. “That spirit of collaboration is what makes this region truly unique, and very well-positioned for economic success.”
What are your top priorities for CareerSource as you step into your new role?
My top priority right now is expanding our footprint across the region. I’ve been in workforce development for over 15 years, and I know we have a real opportunity to enhance both our job seeker and business services. We need to make sure we’re connecting our robust talent pipeline with the job opportunities available. I’m also focused on increasing the number of apprenticeships and on-the-job training opportunities, which will require building strong partnerships with key business and industry leaders.
CareerSource Hillsborough and Pinellas recently merged. How are you approaching this integration?
The merger, effective July 1, 2024, was mandated by the governor and reflects a trend happening across Florida and nationally. While the counties are close — just a bridge away — they’re also very different in terms of their economies and the way they’ve historically done workforce development. So, while we’re now one large region, it’s important to approach each county’s needs thoughtfully and independently. That means engaging with multiple economic development organizations on both sides of the bay to ensure we’re serving all our employers and job seekers effectively.
What makes Hillsborough and Pinellas attractive to families and businesses looking to relocate or expand?
There’s natural beauty, a great lifestyle, excellent school systems, and plenty of opportunity. Beyond that, we have a broad and strong workforce base. Whether someone is unemployed, underemployed, or just unsure about their next step after high school, there are paths here for growth. What really stands out to me is how collaborative the region is. Everyone has been so welcoming, saying “How can we help?” and making connections. That spirit of collaboration is what makes this region truly unique, and very well-positioned for economic success.
What industries are you prioritizing for workforce development and apprenticeship expansion?
At a high level, we’re prioritizing healthcare, manufacturing, and IT, along with the skilled trades. But we’re also taking a tailored approach based on each community’s needs. For example, it might not make sense to emphasize hospitality in Tampa, but in Pinellas, with its tourism economy, it’s a high priority. We’ll work closely with economic development partners to align with the industries that make sense for each part of the region.
How is CareerSource working with economic development partners to support regional growth?
I’m very involved with both the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council and the Pinellas County Economic Development’s One Pinellas Business Alliance. These are strategic planning groups made up of industry and community leaders. We collaborate to identify needs and align resources to address them. If you don’t have strong relationships with economic development, it’s really hard to execute your mission in workforce development. I’ve also connected nationally through the U.S. Conference of Mayors to learn from other large regions — Las Vegas, for example, has an excellent model for aligning workforce and economic development.
What skills needs are we seeing in the job market in Hillsborough/Pinellas?
In Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, the job market is reflecting a strong and diverse demand for both technical and soft skills across multiple sectors. Employers are increasingly seeking candidates with professional communication abilities, interpersonal skills, teamwork, and problem-solving capabilities — traits that are critical across all industries. There is also a sustained need for workforce talent in customer service, sales, and general computer literacy.
From a sector-specific perspective, we continue to see strong demand in manufacturing for production technicians, as well as in healthcare for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and patient care technicians. Skilled trades such as maintenance, repair, and CDL drivers across all classes remain essential.
Importantly, the tech sector is emerging as a high-growth area with an acute need for job-ready talent. In particular, skills in cloud computing, cybersecurity, data analysis, and software development are in high demand, driven by the region’s growth as a tech innovation hub. As we work to align talent development with employer needs, these insights will help guide our training and workforce strategies to support economic growth across the region.
What trends or challenges are you seeing among employers or job seekers in the region?
Broadly, one of the consistent challenges is around soft skills. We often see a gap between employer expectations and job seeker readiness in that area. Hard skills can usually be taught, but soft skills require time and coaching. We’re encouraging employers to have a little patience while we work to build that pipeline and prepare talent more thoroughly.
Can you speak to your youth-focused initiatives?
I want to highlight our youth efforts. Sometimes people underestimate the importance of summer youth programs, but we’re working hard to expand and improve what we already have. We’re focused on helping young people build those critical soft skills and gain exposure to career paths early.
Building on our focus on healthcare and education, this summer we’re partnering with key healthcare and manufacturing providers to offer immersive, hands-on experiences to youth interested in the field. We’re enhancing our summer programs to make sure they’re not just busy work but meaningful career exploration. They’ll shadow professionals and see what the job really entails, whether it’s nursing or power line work. It’s about creating meaningful, realistic career exploration opportunities early on, so we retain talent in the region and guide young people toward the right career paths.
What type of returning citizens is CareerSource seeing coming into Tampa Bay?
We are seeing a significant influx of new and returning citizens to the Tampa Bay region, many of whom are connected to the technology sector. Tampa Bay is increasingly being recognized as an emerging hub for tech innovation, attracting startups and entrepreneurs drawn by our region’s competitive cost of living and business-friendly environment.
In parallel, our community continues to expand support for re-entry citizens. Tampa Bay offers a robust network of resources, skills training programs, and career pathways designed to help individuals rebuild their lives and contribute meaningfully to the local economy.
How is CareerSource incorporating innovation and technology into its services?
We’re exploring ways to better incorporate AI and other innovations. While our main system, GeoSolutions, is managed at the state level, they are working on AI-driven tools to improve case management and efficiency. One thing we’ve already implemented is our Career Clarity Pods, which use VR headsets to give job seekers immersive experiences in different careers, from nursing to power line work. It helps people get a feel for a job before committing to a training path. We’re also exploring the idea of a mobile app to keep job seekers connected to their coaches throughout their journey.
What is your outlook for the region in the next few years, and what are your top goals?
My outlook is optimistic, but we have to be mindful of the broader factors like transportation, childcare, and affordable housing that affect people’s ability to work and thrive. I’m focused on building and maintaining partnerships with early learning coalitions, transportation authorities, and other stakeholders to help remove those barriers.
At the same time, I want CareerSource to be the premier leader in apprenticeships and workforce development. That means working with school districts, technical colleges, universities, and industry associations to develop meaningful career pathways that lead to long-term, self-sufficient employment.
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