PBSC, City of Boynton Beach and CareerSource partner to develop skilled hiring pipeline to meet local industry needs

With the goal of developing a local talent pool for local employers, the City of Boynton Beach, Palm Beach State College, and CareerSource Palm Beach County are partnering to provide college credit certificate programs for City of Boynton Beach residents. The Workforce Readiness Initiative will help those who are unemployed, underemployed, or simply looking for a career change, to gain the in-demand skills that meet the City’s specific employment needs.

City of Boynton Beach Mayor Ty Penserga announced the launch of the initiative at his City Hall Social on April 27.

“I have spoken to so many residents who want to get hired in the businesses that are here in the city, and the disconnect is that the companies—for example, Publix—are looking for certain expertise,” Penserga said. “It’s time for us to fill that education and skills gap and align what our employers need with the kind of educational opportunities we provide for our residents. This way, people who live here can actually work in the city and be part of the prosperity that’s happening in our business community right now.”

Initially, City of Boynton Beach residents will have the choice of two PBSC college credit certificate programs:

- The 12-credit Business Specialist program prepares students for a wide range of entry-level positions through a focus on business fundamentals, such as business software, operations and marketing.

 - The 18-credit Logistics and Transportation Specialist program teaches marketable skills in logistics information systems, materials and inventory planning, transportation and distribution, and supply chain management. 

The programs will be available for enrollment this summer, and CareerSource Palm Beach County will offer tuition support for eligible participants. Dates and application information will be announced in the near future.

“This collaboration with the City of Boynton Beach exemplifies how Palm Beach State is the go-to higher education partner in Palm Beach County for advancing economic opportunities for residents,” said PBSC President Ava L. Parker. “We applaud Mayor Penserga and the city’s commissioners for taking steps to upskill the city’s workforce and prepare residents for careers in high-demand fields such as logistics and supply chain management right in their own community.”

For more information about the Workforce Readiness Initiative, contact Deborah Gordon, director, PBSC Corporate and Continuing Education, at 561-868-3700 or email [email protected].

Palm Beach State College

Founded in 1933 as Florida’s first public community college, Palm Beach State College has been an integral player in the growth and prosperity of Palm Beach County. Our graduates impact every industry and are community and business leaders. With more than 130 programs of study, PBSC offers bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, professional certificates, career training and lifelong learning. More than 40,000 students enroll annually in face-to-face, online, live online and hybrid classes at five convenient locations in Lake Worth, Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens, Belle Glade and Loxahatchee Groves. Learn more at www.palmbeachstate.edu.

City of Boynton Beach

The City of Boynton Beach, home to approximately 80,000 residents, is the third largest municipality in Palm Beach County, Florida. Boynton Beach is known as “the Gateway to the Gulf” due to being situated in the closest location to the warm gulf stream oceanic current than any other city in the continental United States. Residents enjoy a tropical lifestyle with waterfront dining, abundant shopping and lively entertainment. For more information, visit boynton-beach.org.

CareerSource Palm Beach County

CareerSource offers virtual and in-person job fairs, classes and facilities for job searches, grants for job skills training for those who qualify, career development and consulting – at no cost! During the past five program years, CareerSource Palm Beach County assisted more than 40,000 residents to find employment 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.

CareerSource also provides services to help rebuild and sustain businesses in today’s challenging marketplace. CareerSource absorbs the cost of most of these services including recruitment, assessments and referrals of qualified job candidates; space and staff assistance for screening/interviewing candidates; and grants for training employees.