The Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce and CareerSource Broward were once again collaborating for the 2^nd Annual State of the Workforce Event on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Broward County Convention Center. This has truly become a premier event in Broward County as it provided the membership of the chambers of commerce and other businesses with the opportunity to get an update on our workforce status in our region. This year’s keynote speaker, Beth Elletson, Vice President of HR at Banyan, shared her unique insights on bridging the gap between talent and opportunity, driving employee engagement, and implementing groundbreaking talent strategies. We further heard from distinguished guest speakers including Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, Carol Hylton (President & CEO of CareerSource Broward), Colin Polsky, PhD (AVP of Florida Atlantic University), and Jim Ryan (President & CEO of Outplex).   

"The Broward County State of the Workforce Event brings a tremendous value to our business community," said Heiko Dobrikow, EMCEE & Immediate Past Chair of the Broward Workforce Development Board. "During the breakfast employers received detailed data about our current economic and labor conditions, tools to thrive with their workforce development and a record-breaking job fair with top talent."

Speaking about the CareerSource Broward job fair that followed the breakfast, it was one for the books. They had over 200+ hiring employers offering their open positions to over 2,500+ pre-registered job seekers. It was amazing to see how these leading employers and motivated job seekers were interacting in a dynamic environment to better their businesses and chaise the American Dream.

“We were thrilled to return with the 2nd Annual State of the Workforce Job Fair,” said Jim Ryan, Broward Workforce Development Board Chair. “This event created a bridge between employers seeking top talent and job seekers ready to contribute to Broward’s economic success. It was an incredible opportunity to connect, inspire, and support growth for businesses and professionals alike.”

The event featured some of Broward County’s top employers including Broward County Government, Broward County Public Schools, Broward Health, Broward Sheriff’s Office, Riverside Hotel, Coca-Cola, Hotwire Communications, and Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort among many others. Participating businesses were recruiting for a variety of roles across multiple industries, offering job seekers opportunities to connect directly with employers and even getting on the spot job offers.

“At CareerSource Broward, we understand the importance of connecting job seekers to the many thriving businesses here in Broward County,” said Carol Hylton, President/CEO of CareerSource Broward. “This event was designed to help employers find skilled, motivated talent while providing job seekers the chance to meet top organizations and take their next professional step.”

As a final reflection our regional chambers certainly understand how to help their members, the workforce and at the end the economy. It's all about JOBS, JOBS, JOBS. These 4 organizations are already working on the 2026 State of the Workforce Event to add value for all concerned. Please check out this news article and news report by WSFLTV: www.wsfltv.com/inside-south-florida/careersource-browards-state-of-the-workforce-job-fair-showcases-career-opportunities-across-industries