FutureMakers Talent Talk

Michael Swindle is the Superintendent of Hendry County Schools, a rural school district serving over 13,000 students. On this episode of Talent Talk, we discuss the areas Swindell is working to grow in Hendry County, namely early learning, graduation rates, transportation and housing. We discuss HCSD’s workforce development initiatives and ways the district helps students make informed decisions about their future careers by incorporating career exploration and guidance into the K-12 curriculum.

April Mesa and Africa Newby are Navigators within the FutureMakers Coalition. As Navigators, Mesa and Newby work with adults who want to gain new job skills and expand their career possibilities, assisting with everything from exploring options to completing degrees. On today’s episode of Talent Talk, we discuss the work of Navigators, the most common barriers they find people struggling with, and how they help individuals to overcome. We also share testimonies of the impactful work happening within this program.

Dakota Pawlicki is the Director of Talent Hubs with CivicLab. Talent Hubs are designated exemplars that stand out for their efforts to ensure that residents of all backgrounds receive education and training after high school. On this episode of Talent Talk, we discuss rural work, the importance of developing expertise in rural communities, and the future of Talent Hubs. In his role as Director, Dakota brings expertise in postsecondary education, collective impact, stakeholder engagement, and change management to a network of nearly 100 cross-sector partnerships, supporting their efforts to improve the human condition. He also hosts Lumina Foundation's podcast Today's Students, Tomorrow's Talent which features conversations with newsmakers and leaders in the field of learning after high school.

William Stewart is the owner of Stewart & Sons Electric, an all-inclusive electrical contracting company. A Southwest Florida native, William graduated from the Tri-County Apprenticeship Program after being formerly incarcerated. He went on to start his own business and now serves as the third-year teacher at Tri-County, educating the next generation of electricians. On this episode of Talent Talk, we talk about what employers can do to create opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals, as well as what makes a great employee and lifelong learner. William is building a business and family legacy that will last for generations, and we discuss how other people who have faced similar challenges can do the same thing.

Neil Volz is the Deputy Director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC). On this episode of Talent Talk, we discuss the importance of helping individuals who have been previously incarcerated to find meaningful careers and to help educate employers on the benefits and practical implications of Second Chance hiring. Neil has more than 25 years of experience working as a public servant and community advocate. He recently helped lead the passage of Amendment 4, ending the lifetime ban on voting for people with past convictions in the state of Florida and restoring voting eligibility for 1.4 million people, representing the largest expansion of US democracy in a generation. Neil previously worked towards voter accessibility in Washington DC and has served in a variety of non-profit and entrepreneurial capacities.

24-year-old Junson Francois is a first-generation Haitian American who was born in Miami, Florida and raised in Lee County. Junson, who worked with a FutureMakers Navigator to reconnect with education to get into the career of his dreams, is currently a probationary firefighter with North Fort Myers Fire Department. On this episode of Talent Talk we discuss Junson’s story, the challenges he faced growing up and what advice he has for others facing similar things, as well as what led him to begin serving as a firefighter.

Jamaree Jones and Quay Longs are co-founders of Strive Hall, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering under-resourced youth. On this episode of Talent Talk, Jamaree (President) and Quay (CEO) share about their work as it relates to building the local workforce. Recent graduates of FGCU’s Master of Entrepreneurship program and driven by a passion for transformative experiences, these leaders have created an opportunity for under-resourced youth to immerse themselves in university life for a full weekend, experiencing the excitement and value of college firsthand. Strive Hall exposes students to new opportunities and instills in them the belief that they can achieve their dreams, regardless of their background, thus strengthening the next generation of workers and leaders. Read more about it here: https://www.strivehall.org/

Joe Bonora is the founder and president of Catalyst Asset Management and Catalyst Community Capital, Inc. The nonprofit works to provide investment for small businesses and project development with a concentration on multifamily properties. This includes mentorship, coaching, and technical assistance for developers to operate independently. He explains how he acquired knowledge through his entrepreneurial upbringing as a self-learner, despite not receiving a formal education beyond high school. Joe also elaborates on educating more people of color to the development business. He emphasizes that people living within communities are more aware of their residents and neighbors than an outside developer. Joe dives into skill development for prospective job applicants. He explains how valuable earning a credential is in comparison to traditional college education. 

In this episode we hear from Dakota Pawlicki, the Director of Talent Hubs at Civic Lab. He was also our guest in Season 2. Dakota believes that the greatest change happens at the local and regional level. This is significant when it comes to systems change for students who are disadvantaged. He discusses the launch of Talent Hubs at Civic Lab as a way of expanding civic collaboration with support to regions and cross-sector partnerships. The Talent Hub designation continues to strengthen collective work that is focused on educational attainment beyond high school. Dakota also shares his perspective on the value of local collaboratives in producing community change. Dakota takes us through the adversity he faced growing up. He talks about his experience as a recipient of a caring network of individuals, which motivates his continued work today. 

Michael Swindle was our first guest in the first season of Talent Talk. He discusses his vision as the current Superintendent of Hendry County Schools with a workforce-oriented approach. Mike started his position during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which presented several unique challenges going forward. He shares the focus of closing the achievement gaps, building capacity, and creating sustainable efforts for educational attainment within Hendry County. This includes increasing third grade reading proficiency and working to increase graduation rates. It’s somewhat of a challenge working within a rural community with limited resources. He also shares progress from workforce initiatives to increase credentialed workers between the cities of LaBelle and Clewiston. Michael was previously a County Commissioner and Workforce Development Director for Hendry County Schools. This work involved initiating training programs to tackle the unemployment rates across the county. Looking ahead, he is shifting focus towards equity initiatives as a driving force to improving the education system.