This document proposes a "Project Blue Sky" initiative to address workforce skill shortages in the Pensacola, Florida area that are hampering economic development and job creation. It would create a database of resumes of highly skilled workers to recruit nationally and match them to current and future job opportunities in the area's target industries like aerospace, IT, manufacturing and healthcare. The goal is to build a pipeline of specialized talent to attract expanding companies and make the area more competitive for recruitment by addressing its lack of experienced workers. Potential partners, funding sources and a phased implementation plan are outlined. Risks and mitigation strategies are also discussed.

1. “Blue Sky”
A Strategy For Pensacola Area
Economic Development
JP&A July 2014 prumatico@bellsouth.net

2. Economic Development - Mixed
Results In Company Recruiting
“…efforts by states at job poaching from other states
reflect a complete lack of understanding as to where
job creation really comes from. What distinguishes
one state from the other in success in creating jobs
is its ability to stimulate entrepreneurship and to
make sure that those fast growing companies
actually succeed at what they are doing..”
Michael Mazerov – Center on Budget and Tax Policy,
Washington D.C. June 2014

3. Economic Development - Mixed
Results In Company Recruiting
Florida’s Small Business Development Center reports that despite the
considerable investment to recruit new companies to Florida, the
effort resulted in less than 2% of the new jobs created in 2010.
Dr. Tom O’Neal, associate Vice President for Research and
Commercialization at University of Central Florida and Executive
Director of the Florida Economic Gardening Institute (GrowFL) reports
that it was 0.03%.
Despite the lack of ROI, marketing the area to industry must be done.
Pensacola’s recent success confirms that. However, new industry
recruiting can be compared to the Prisoner’s Dilemma, a paradox in
rational self interest.

4. The Pensacola Area’s Economic
Development Paradox
The area’s quality of life factors attracted several fast growing,
successful companies.
Their growth is hampered by the lack of experienced talent.
High skill, mid level professionals do not relocate to the Pensacola
area because of the lack of opportunities for a spouse or a Plan B.
The Pensacola MSA is not attractive to new industry because of the
lack of an established highly skilled workforce in their sector.
New job creation hinges on a skilled and experienced workforce!

5. Pensacola Workforce Snapshot
• An attractive area to live, work and play
• Many successful and growing small companies
• Solid work ethic in workforce, students and retirees
• Excellent educational resources
• Employers need experienced talent to grow
• Exporting talent due to the lack of entry level jobs
• New company recruiting is workforce driven
• 30% of area workforce is underemployed
+’s
-’s

6. Pensacola MSA Employment By Sector 115,893 Total Number Of Employees
Pie chart data from 2010 MSA Business Patterns, US Census (First Quarter ending March 2012)
The Pensacola Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes all of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties

7. How Would A Business Think About
Pensacola’s Future Workforce?
Large companies plan for their future workforce requirements.
Recruiting and training are continuous processes.
Coca-Cola has 130,600 employees; Dell 108,800;
Exxon 75,000; HJ Heinz 32,000; Humana 43,400;
McKesson 43,500; Intel 105,000; Apple 80,000
The Pensacola MSA has 115,900 employees
A business approach to future workforce planning today will
assure the Pensacola area’s success in the future.

8. A Simplified Business Approach
• Identify The Current Workforce Supply In Key Sectors
• Develop A Demand Forecast And Set Future Goals
• Identify Workforce Skill Gaps And Surpluses
• Build The Skill Acquisition Plan For Pensacola
Training
Recruiting
• Implement The Plan

9. Discussion Outline
• Workforce Led Economic Development
• Skill Shortages Impact Local Job Creation
• Skill Shortages Impact Company Recruiting
• “Blue Sky” A Solution Used in DOD Contracting
• “Blue Sky” Recruiting A Solution in Job Creation?
• A “Blue Sky” Approach to Economic Development
• Future Workforce Examples
• Project Blue Sky Proposal
• Potential Partners, Funding and Schedule

10. A Successful Workforce Based
Economic Development Model
• Vibrant Local Economies Are Based On A
Highly Skilled And Specialized Workforce
• Established Industry Clusters Are Attractive
For Business Relocation and Expansion
• Locating Operations To An Established
Workforce Is Low Risk But High Cost

11. Skill Shortages Impact Job Creation
• Limits Existing Company Organic Growth
• Fewer Entry Level Jobs For The Local Workforce
• Potential Worker Interest To Relocate To A
Developing Area Like Pensacola Is Low
• Limits Area Wide Economic Growth
• Jobs And Workers Go Elsewhere

12. Skill Shortages Impact
New Company Recruiting To The Area
• Lack Of An Available Workforce Is A Negative
• Workforce Training In Specialized Skills Takes Time
and Investment
• Workforce Recruiting and Relocation Cost Is High
• An Established Highly Skilled Workforce Is A Strong
Positive When Recruiting Companies

13. “Blue Sky”
• Capturing New Business Without An Established
Workforce Is A Common Problem In Business
• Defense Contactors Submit Proposals With Resumes
Of Key Personnel Who Are Not Yet Employees
• Hire Is Contingent On The Contract Being Won
• Recruiting Is Done On A “Blue Sky” Opportunity Basis
• A Virtual Community Of Highly Skilled Workers Is
Created And Ready To Be Engaged.

14. “Blue Sky” Recruiting Part Of
A Solution For Job Creation?
What if…….
We Inventory Current Employer Skill Requirements In Key Sectors?
We Identify Local Workers Who Are Looking For Opportunities,
Currently Underemployed Or In Need Of Training?
We Recruit Highly Specialized, Experienced and Skilled Workers
For Current And Future Employment Opportunities?
Economic Development Professionals Had A Talent Pool Ready To
Relocate To Pensacola?

15. Future Workforce Vision….
• Set A Goal For New High Skill – High Wage Jobs
• Created By Existing and New Companies
• Growing, Vibrant and Successful Companies
• Industry Sectors Could Include:
• Aerospace
• Information Technology
• Manufacturing
• Medical Equipment and Services
• Research And Development
Based On A Future Workforce Community

16. Achieve The Vision….
• Create A Workforce Web Site And Resume Database
• Assemble Existing and Potential Company Requirements
• Utilize State Of Florida, UWF, SBDC and Chamber Data
• Market The Pensacola MSA Future Workforce Nationally
• Compile Resumes Of Highly Skilled Workers
• Identify Prospective Employers For Relocation To Pensacola
• Match Workers To Companies
• Match Local Workers To Skill Training and Opportunities

17. Future Workforce Examples
• Huntsville, AL conducted workforce recruiting campaigns in the Southeast.
• Columbus, NE is organizing outreach programs and rallying business leaders
to represent the area at recruiting events.
• Kansas City, MO is running a future workforce program to attract highly skilled
talent to their area.
• Reno – Tahoe, NV recruited talent from San Francisco and other California
cities to build their tech community and create jobs.
• Vermont conducted tech recruiting in Boston and other cities.
• Wyoming conducted blue collar recruiting in the mid west.
• Nashville and Mid Tennessee are marketing their growing technology sector
These communities are building their workforces of the future

18. Project Blue Sky Proposal
• Take The Lead On Job Creation
• Build A Pensacola Area Future Workforce Brand
• Create A Pensacola Workforce Website
• Create A Pensacola Workforce Resume Database
• Market The Area Through Career Web Sites, Job Boards,
Social Media And Regional Career Events
• Include Pensacola Future Workforce In Area Marketing
• Provide A New Compelling Workforce Solution

19. Potential Partners
• Escambia County and Santa Rosa County Schools
• University of West Florida, Pensacola State College, Private Schools
• State of Florida – Career Source, Enterprise Florida, Grow Florida
• City of Pensacola – Office of Economic Development and Sustainability
• Greater Pensacola Area Chamber – Economic Development Team
• Santa Rosa County - Office of Economic Development
• Escambia County Commissioners – Economic Development and Tourism
• Private Groups – Impact 100, Innovation Coast, IT Gulf Coast, NWFMC
• A Consortium of Local Companies Serving As Ambassadors

20. Potential Funding
• Escambia County - RESTORE Act Committee to evaluate / review projects
that are designed to improve the natural resources, job creation and
economic development of the Gulf Coast region.
• State of Florida - Workforce Investment Act programs for adults, youth and
displaced workers.
• City, Counties and Chamber – Economic Development and Workforce
Development Grants
• US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration –
Ready To Work Partnership Grants
• Lincoln, Kauffman and Other Private Foundations – Economic
Development and Workforce Education Grants
• Area Employer Contributions

21. Project Blue Sky Schedule
Phase 1 – Within First 90 Days
Outreach To Potential Partners and Funding Sources
Identify Key Sector Talent Requirements
Implement A Workforce Web Site And Database Platform
Initiate A Regional Recruiting And Marketing Campaign
Phase 2 – 90 – 180 Days
Secure Long Term Funding
Begin Referring Candidates To Employers and Educators
Continuously Review And Improve Methodology

22. Project Blue Sky Risks
Issue Risk
How To
Avoid / Solve
Pensacola’s current opportunities
don’t seem to attract solid candidates.
Medium
Companies are recruiting, many without
success. Opportunity marketing support
will help them. Creating the vision of future
opportunities is the goal of Blue Sky.
Companies may not support a
recruiting effort for others or deem it
necessary to attract new companies.
Medium
Growth based on a skilled workforce is a
proven model. Involve them. Provide case
studies and research to gain their support.
Local agencies do not have the money
to fund new programs
High
Job creation and worker training will ad
value and relevance for local company
growth and attracting new companies.
Won’t Blue Sky compete with area
employment agencies.
Low
Area employment agencies will be invited
to participate and as sponsors have
access to the database. There will be no
competition for current openings.

23. Project Blue Sky Risks Continued…
Issue Risk
How To
Avoid / Solve
This is a good initiative for the
Pensacola Chamber’s new economic
development organization.
Medium
While Blue Sky recruiting will address new
job creation, workforce and current
company growth, resume confidentiality is
not available under public records rules.
Local agencies are experiencing a
decline in program budgets and have
existing programs to support.
High
A new, powerful and relevant job creation
and workforce development effort will
attract positive attention and support.
Isn’t this program better suited for
IT Gulf Coast or Innovation Coast?
Low
The tech organizations are working on
events such as iTEN Wired and Innovation
Awards. Their event marketing will be
helpful in attracting talent.
Adding jobs is a Pensacola priority High
Blue Sky will act on the current jobs
dilemma; lack of experienced talent for
growth, while supporting new company
recruiting and workforce training.

24. The Death of Job Posting?
Zappos, Las Vegas, NV, an online clothing retailer,
stopped posting jobs!
Instead they are building virtual “Talent Communities”
Creating an “Insider” relationship with active and passive
candidates for future employment
Developments In Recruiting

25. Aggregating Jobs A New Trend?
Developments In Recruiting
LinkedIn is joining Indeed, Simply Hired and
Monster by aggregating jobs.
LinkedIn employer members will have access to
resumes and candidate profiles.
The new service will match candidates to career
opportunities using Bright.com technology.

26. Talent Outreach Events
Industry Events, such as:
PEX Manufacturing Expo
IAA Aviation Conference Atlanta
US Chamber Small Business
Career Fairs, such as:
Austin Career Fair
Chicago Career Fair
Kansas City Career Fair
Minneapolis Career Fair

27. Industry Expo Ideas
Expand the Enterprise
Florida expo booth to
include future workforce
opportunities include
Florida Career Source and
company ambassadors

28. Tourism Industry Expo Floor Display Ideas
Expand the Visit Florida
expo booth to include
future workforce
opportunities include
Florida Career Source
and company
ambassadors