Agenda 07/13/2021 Item #16F10 (Workforce Development Grant Agreement w/Immokalee Foundation)07/13/2021
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Recommendation to direct staff to develop a workforce development grant agreement with The
Immokalee Foundation, to offset development costs on a housing subdivision for the Career
Pathways Learning Lab, in the amount of $500,000, authorize the County Manager or designee to
execute the agreement, and authorize any necessary budget amendments.
OBJECTIVE: To offset development costs from an eighteen (18) home subdivision underway in
Immokalee to support The Immokalee Foundation’s Career Pathways Learning Lab.
CONSIDERATIONS: For more than 30 years, The Immokalee Foundation has provided a range of
education programs that focus on building pathways to professional careers through support, mentoring
and tutoring, and life skills development leading to economic independence.
The Learning Lab is a program of The Immokalee Foundation’s Career Pathways, which provides the
youth of Immokalee with robust after-school and summer programming that prepares them for well-
paying, in-demand professional careers. Along with Business Management & Entrepreneurship and
Engineering & Construction Management, Career Pathways empowers students to pursue careers in
Education & Human Services and Healthcare.
Collier Enterprises donated 8.3 acres of land for the Learning Lab subdivision on Foundation Way in
Immokalee and helped underwrite the cost of the permitting and infrastructure work, an investment of
more than $1 million. The Ray Foundation’s $250,000 matching grant provided a significant boost in
getting the Learning Lab underway. The Immokalee Foundation also partnered with BCB Homes and
Immokalee Technical College (iTECH) to develop a high school curriculum of after-school and summer
programs that incorporate on-the-job, experiential learning and paid internships.
The first home in the Foundation Way subdivision is expected to be completed by the end of Summer
2021. The home will be sold at market price to further support The Immokalee Foundation’s Career
Pathways Learning Lab program.
Currently, four types of students are conducting internships (i.e. career instruction) at the Career Pathway
Learning Lab, including:
• Immokalee Technical College (iTECH) postsecondary students
• iTECH dual enrollment students from Immokalee High School
• The Immokalee Foundation (TIF) after school students
• TIF summer program students
This academic year (2020/2021), the program had a slow start due to COVID-19 delaying the start of
school and the start of the first house. In addition, iTECH only allowed in-person students to dual enroll
in the program and many Immokalee High School students selected virtual learning during the first
quarter of the academic year. Even with these limitations, iTECH enjoyed the highest enrollment ever in
postsecondary students due to the internship opportunity.
Overall, the Learning Lab offered 11,336 total hours of on-the-job training to students during the
2020/2021 academic year. Next year, we anticipate increasing these internship hours to 16,725.5 by
having the high school dual enrollment classes fully subscribed.
The following table outlines the breakdown of students and internship hours for each of the past two
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academic years:
2020/2021 Academic Year
1st & 2nd Quarter 5 postsecondary students 6.5 hours/day 45 days 1,462.5 hours
3rd & 4th Quarter 13 postsecondary students 6.5 hours/day 57 days 4,816.5 hours
1st & 2nd Quarter 12 dual enrollment students 1.5 hours/day 45 days 810 hours
3rd & 4th Quarter 12 dual enrollment students 1.5 hours/day 57 days 1,026 hours
1st & 2nd Quarter 7 after school students 2.5 hours/day 46 days 805 hours
3rd & 4th Quarter 7 after school students 2.5 hours/day 40 days 700 hours
Summer 11 summer interns 6.5 hours/day 24 days 1,716 hours
Total Internship Hours provided in 2020/2021 academic year 11,336 hours
2021/2022 Academic Year
1st & 2nd Quarter 11 postsecondary students 6.5 hours/day 56 days 4,004 hours
3rd & 4th Quarter 11 postsecondary students 6.5 hours/day 53 days 3,789.5 hours
1st & 2nd Quarter 36 dual enrollment students 1.5 hours/day 56 days 3,024 hours
3rd & 4th Quarter 36 dual enrollment students 1.5 hours/day 53 days 2,862 hours
1st & 2nd Quarter 7 after school students 2.5 hours/day 38 days 665 hours
3rd & 4th Quarter 7 after school students 2.5 hours/day 38 days 665 hours
Summer 11 summer interns 6.5 hours/day 24 days 1,716 hours
Total Internship Hours provided in 2021/2022 academic year 16,725.5 hours
Upon approval of this item, staff will work with The Immokalee Foundation to craft an agreement that
will offset development costs with each house at the time a Certificate of Occupancy is issued. As this
program and project supports workforce development, funds to support offset development costs will be
utilized from existing economic development funding.
FISCAL IMPACT: A grant totaling in the amount of $27,778 on each of the eighteen (18) homes in the
Foundation Way subdivision will be paid upon issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy to offset
development costs. Funding is available within Economic Development Fund (007), which is comprised
of proceeds from the local government share of revenue sharing from gaming proceeds pursuant to the
agreement between the State of Florida and the Seminole Tribe.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: This request is consistent with Objective 3 of the Economic
Element of the Collier County Growth Management Plan which states: “Collier County will support
programs which are designed to promote and encourage the recruitment of new industry as well as the
expansion and retention of existing industries in order to diversify the County’s economic base.”
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This item has been reviewed by the County Attorney, is approved as
to form and legality, and requires a majority vote for approval. -JAK
RECOMMENDATION: That the Board direct staff to develop a workforce development grant
agreement with The Immokalee Foundation, to offset development costs on a housing subdivision for
the Career Pathways Learning Lab, in the amount of $500,000, authorize the County Manager or
designee to execute the agreement, and authorize any necessary budget amendments.
Prepared by: Sean Callahan, Deputy County Manager
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COLLIER COUNTY
Board of County Commissioners
Item Number: 16.F.11
Doc ID: 17444
Item Summary: Recommendation to direct staff to develop a workforce development grant
agreement with The Immokalee Foundation, to offset development costs on a housing subdivision for the
Career Pathways Learning Lab, in the amount of $500,000, authorize the County Manager or designee to
execute the agreement, and authorize any necessary budget amendments.
Meeting Date: 07/13/2021
Prepared by:
Title: – County Manager's Office
Name: Sean Callahan
07/02/2021 2:50 PM
Submitted by:
Title: – County Manager's Office
Name: Sean Callahan
07/02/2021 2:50 PM
Approved By:
Review:
Corporate Business Operations Jennifer Reynolds Additional Reviewer Completed 07/02/2021 3:12 PM
County Manager's Office Sean Callahan Additional Reviewer Completed 07/05/2021 4:43 PM
Office of Management and Budget Debra Windsor Level 3 OMB Gatekeeper Review Completed 07/06/2021 8:34 AM
Budget and Management Office Ed Finn Additional Reviewer Completed 07/06/2021 12:35 PM
County Attorney's Office Jeffrey A. Klatzkow Level 3 County Attorney's Office Review Completed 07/07/2021 10:38 AM
County Manager's Office Amy Patterson Level 4 County Manager Review Completed 07/07/2021 10:45 AM
Board of County Commissioners Geoffrey Willig Meeting Pending 07/13/2021 9:00 AM
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