We’ve been touting Pasco County’s “Smart Cookies” for a while now because we believe the key to building a skilled workforce begins in the schools. How bright are Pasco County kids? Take a look at Patrick McCabe, a Pasco High School senior  who we think could be the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs!

Patrick McCabe, has been inventing things since elementary school. He is graduating this year with a 4.5 grade point average, is a member of the National Honor Society and has  claimed his school’s PRIDE award for achievements in science. To top it off he is finishing a year of dual enrollment at Pasco-Hernando Community College. He has created 11 robots and won numerous awards, and his latest accomplishment includes a full-ride scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

This is the type of talent we have here in Tampa Bay. You’re gonna want that!

Source: Tampa Bay Times, 05/15/1, http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/pasco-high-senior-invents-his-own-track-to-mit/1230319

With only 100 days until the 2012 Republican National Convention, the Tampa Bay Host Committee, is working diligently to ensure that this historic event is a success for the entire Tampa Bay area.

In addition to the thousands of guests who will be coming to Tampa Bay this August, the Convention will draw 15,000 media personnel and is the largest media event in the world, second only to the Olympic Games.

Ken Jones, a Pasco County resident is leading the Tampa Bay Host Committee in this historical event.

“Having the Convention in Tampa Bay is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Tampa Bay is one of the best kept secrets in America, and we will demonstrate that our region can compete and shine on a global stage as well as any major city in the world.” Ken Jones, Host Committee President/CEO and a Pasco County resident

If you are planning to attend the convention or if you are part of the 15,000 media who will be coming down to cover the event, stop by and see us at Pasco EDC, we’d love to show you why businesses love Tampa Bay.

Are you getting ready to hire more people? Check with us and see if we can help! Did you know there are incentives available to businesses growing and expanding their business? That’s right! You can even get help with technical training for FREE.

If you know a company that is considering a move to another location, suggest Pasco County! Whether you are hiring, buying machinery or need training, we can help you for FREE! Email Tom Ryan at tryan@pascoedc.com to see if your company qualifies.

In some places it takes a superhero to get a building permit. In Pasco County it’s so easy a kid like Super-Jimmy can do it. Call Jimmy at (888) 60-PASCO or email info@pascoedc.com

“IT Nerd seeks Marketing Guru to co-found next Facebook.”

www.foundersync.com

So you know how to code HTML, PHP, ASP and everything else. Given any set of parameters you can make it happen, but your ideas lack creativity, and even if you were to think of a good idea, you wouldn’t know how to market it.

Or, maybe your the visionary type that has this grandiose idea and you know you are onto the next big thing, but the trouble is, you haven’t a clue how to get from point A to point Z. You need a computer genius.

That’s where FounderSync comes in. A new website called FounderSync is matching up entrepreneurs, coders, techies, and just people with lots of money and nothing to spend it on, based not only on their skills, but also their personalities, in an effort to help match the relationship component of start-up businesses. Call it a dating service for entrepreneurs, like an eHarmony meets LinkedIn.

Here in Pasco County we set up another matchmaking site for entrepreneurs called the Pasco Enterprise Network (PEN). PEN is a collaborative effort among the nonprofits in Pasco County to help support entrepreneurship on a local level.  The PEN website a wealth of information on the steps to starting your own business and where to go for what, like business licenses, sales tax IDs, registering a fictitious name, research and demographics, etc. But, it also matches up local entrepreneurs with the right nonprofit agency to help them start their business.

Entrepreneurs just fill out the “Contact” page and check off what their needs are. Upon clicking submit, their contact information and needs are sent to the Pasco Enterprise Network and matched to the appropriate local nonprofit that is able to help. Each person who fills out the contact form is followed up with by a non-profit agency who has a program or information to assist you on your entrepreneurial journey.

What kind of help is available?

• Grants and business loans
• Free Workshops and Classes
• Possible Business Incentives
• Help with your business plan
• Exporting Information
• …and much, much more

If you are in Tampa Bay, visit PascoEnterprise.net today to help get you started on your entrepreneurial journey. And who knows, maybe you’ll find your co-founder on FounderSync.com.

Pasco EDC is here to help you because when your business grows you’ll hire more people, create more jobs, and together we can help our economy grow.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 15 of the 20 fastest growing jobs require STEM skill sets, and skilled workers are in high demand. Career Central hopes to steer the interest of youth in Pasco and Hernando County towards STEM-related careers in an effort to build a stronger workforce and support economic growth and development in Tampa Bay.

This summer, Career Central is funding a Summer Youth Program that is designed to expose students to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) related careers, and they need help from local businesses.

“We need to partner with local employers who can play an active role in this summer’s STEM initiative,” says Garry Burlingame, Program Manager for Career Central. “We are currently looking for local employers to be guest speakers, host an industry tour, provide an internship, or mentor a deserving youth.  Employer involvement will make or break the program.”

Career Central’s youth program will focus on targeted career fields like applied medicine, business and financial management, high-tech electronics, and marine/environmental activities. These targeted industries are critical to the growth and prosperity of the Tampa Bay region, including Pasco and Hernando counties.  

“Teaching our kids science and technology skills is the key to our community’s economic future,” said John Hagen, President/CEO of Pasco Economic Development Council. “If students learn these skills now, we have a chance to avoid the all-but-certain crisis in ten years when the majority of jobs will require at least two years of post-secondary education.”

Connecting relevant education and talent development programs is just one way Pasco Hernando Workforce Board, Inc. achieves its goal as a community catalyst for promoting self-sufficiency through the development of a quality workforce. To partner with Career Central, contact Garry Burlingame at 727.484.3400 ext. 3551.