What Workforce Development Partners does

Workforce Development Partners (WDP) is a Florida-based nonprofit corporation, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Plant City, Florida, that operates a collaborative workforce development model connecting graduating high school seniors and adult job seekers with local employers across Hillsborough County. The organization runs two core programs: Future Career Academy (FCA), the signature school-based program integrated into the curriculum of all 37 Hillsborough County high schools, and Best Florida Jobs (BFJ), a parallel program serving adult job seekers. Supporting FCA is a year-round event cadence that includes Business Panels in October, Business Tours in January and February, Future Fair Hiring Events in April featuring 50+ employer partners, and Signing Days in May; the organization reports a 95% student outcome rate of graduating seniors with a clear, actionable post-graduation plan. WDP maintains a 16-Industry Exploration video content library and a professional development curriculum covering resume writing, interview skills, and career exploration.

WDP's business model is a contribution-based nonprofit model rather than a commercial transaction model. The organization does not charge students or job seekers for services. Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) a tiered corporate sponsorship program with eight levels ranging from $500 (Future Fair Employer Expo Participant) to $250,000 (Program Champion), plus a $2,500 full-season event registration; (2) individual donations at increments from $50 to $2,500; and (3) event-based sponsorship and ticket sales for the annual Launching Futures Luncheon, with sponsorships from $1,500 to $25,000 and $75 individual tickets. The organization is led by CEO Yvonne Fry and a small team of directors covering regional operations, workforce education, donor engagement, strategic development, community partnerships, and creative. Employer partners include BayCare, Publix, Tampa Electric, Mosaic, T-Mobile, MacDill Air Force Base, Palm Harbor Homes, Saputo, Tampa General Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center, Bausch & Lomb, and Star Distribution Systems, among others. The organization is registered with the State of Florida under the Solicitations of Contributions Act (Registration #CH67665) and is governed as a typical nonprofit board structure with no parent company or outside equity ownership.

Name

Workforce Development Partners

Legal name

Workforce Development Partners Corporation

Website

https://workforcedevelopmentpartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Workforce Development Partners is a Florida-based nonprofit that runs the Future Career Academy and Best Florida Jobs programs, connecting graduating high school seniors and adult job seekers in Hillsborough County with local employers through school-integrated curriculum, hiring events, and corporate sponsorship partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Employer-Led Workforce Partnerships & Sector Strategies (EDAAAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community College / Training Provider Workforce Pathways Programs (EDAAAOAO), Workforce & Career Transition Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAC), Workforce Development, Employment Readiness & Job Placement (BPADAKAE)

Keywords

• Workforce development programs
• School-to-career programs
• Youth job placement services
• Community hiring events
• Nonprofit career readiness

Headquarters

HQ city

Yellow Pine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships and Program Partnerships: Revenue generated through tiered corporate sponsorship programs at various levels (Program Champion $250,000, Platinum Program Partner $100,000, Premium Program Partner $50,000, Program Partner $25,000, Limited Program Partner $15,000, Community Partner $10,000, Neighborhood Partner $5,000, Future Fair Employer Expo Participant $500). Sponsors receive school engagement, student curriculum support, student experiences, and recognition benefits.
2. Individual Donations: Accepts individual donations at various levels ($50, $100, $250, $500, $750, $1000, $2500, and custom amounts) to support connecting graduating seniors with local jobs and training opportunities.
3. Event Sponsorships and Ticket Sales: Revenue from Launching Futures Luncheon event including sponsorship tiers (Master Key Sponsor $25,000, Golden Key Sponsor $10,000, Silver Key Sponsors $5,000, Community Key Sponsors $1,500) and individual tickets at $75 per person.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Workforce Development Partners is a Florida-based nonprofit that runs two flagship programs: Future Career Academy (FCA), which integrates career-readiness curriculum and year-round employer engagement experiences (Business Panels, Business Tours, Future Fair Hiring Events) into 37 Hillsborough County high schools for graduating seniors, and Best Florida Jobs (BFJ), which connects adult job seekers with local employers through community hiring events. Programs are funded by tiered corporate sponsorships, individual donations, and event sponsorships, and delivered free to students and job seekers.

Product overview

Workforce Development Partners operates two core programs: Future Career Academy (FCA) and Best Florida Jobs (BFJ). FCA is the signature workforce readiness program that prepares and connects graduating high school seniors with jobs and training opportunities through a collaborative model involving Hillsborough County Public Schools and the business community. Supporting FCA are sub-programs including Business Panels (in-school business presentations in October), Business Tours (industry site visits in January-February), and Future Fair Hiring Events (multi-employer job fairs in April). The BFJ program extends similar workforce connection services to adult job seekers. The organization serves 37 high schools across eight geographic communities in Hillsborough County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Future Career Academy: Signature program of Workforce Development Partners dedicated to preparing and connecting graduating seniors with great jobs and training opportunities in their communities.
• Best Florida Jobs

Products and services

• Future Career Academy (FCA)
• Best Florida Jobs (BFJ)
• Future Fair Hiring Events
• Business Tours
• Business Panels
• Workforce Development Curriculum
• Launching Futures Luncheon
• Best Florida Jobs Hiring Events

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of students graduate with a clear, actionable plan for their future through the Future Career Academy program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.

• Hillsborough County Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding educational partner in the Future Career Academy program. The school district provides access to 37 high schools across Hillsborough County, integrating FCA curriculum into English classes for graduating seniors. Partnership enables school-based delivery of workforce development content and student engagement activities.
• Hillsborough CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner hosting business tours and providing municipal employment opportunities. The county government collaborates on workforce development initiatives through various departments including Fire Rescue, Human Resources, and Public Works.
• City of TampacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partner participating in business panels, tours, and hiring events. The City of Tampa provides employment opportunities and hosts students at various city facilities and departments.
• City of Plant CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal founding partner that launched the grassroots workforce development effort in 2015 with a single job fair at Plant City High School. Continues to host business tours and provide municipal employment opportunities.
• City of Temple TerracecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner providing employment opportunities and participating in FCA programs to find best talent locally for city team.
• Hillsborough Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner providing training programs and apprenticeship opportunities for students. Listed among industry leaders participating in workforce development programs.
• Tampa Electric (TECO)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor employer partner supporting workforce development in Tampa Bay community. Provides career opportunities and participates in hiring events and business panels.
• BayCarekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner offering career opportunities for students through FCA programs. BayCare helps students step into healthcare careers right out of high school with pathway to long-term team membership.
• PublixkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor retail employer partner engaging students through workforce development programs. Provides career opportunities in retail operations across Tampa Bay area.
• The Mosaic CompanykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerFortune 500 company headquartered in Tampa, providing mining, manufacturing, and office employment opportunities. Partner provides career pathways in essential industries.
• CareerSource Tampa BaykeyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkforce development organization partner helping connect job seekers with employment opportunities and training programs throughout Tampa Bay region.
• Coastal Mechanical ServiceskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerHVAC, piping, and plumbing specialty contractor serving commercial, industrial and institutional markets. Provides apprenticeship programs and career opportunities in the trades.
• Bausch & LombkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational eye health company with only U.S. pharmaceutical plant in Tampa area. Provides manufacturing and quality career opportunities for job seekers.
• Tampa General HospitalkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor healthcare provider offering career opportunities in medical and support positions for students and adult job seekers through workforce programs.
• Moffitt Cancer CenterkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprehensive cancer center providing healthcare career opportunities for program graduates interested in medical research and patient care fields.
• Feeding Tampa BaykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood bank and hunger relief organization providing career opportunities in distribution, logistics, and operations for program participants.
• Palm Harbor HomeskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufactured home builder operating at Plant City facility since 1978. Hiring dozens of positions including cabinet builders, electricians, tile installers, and manufacturing workers.
• SaputokeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerDairy processor with Plant City facility opened in 2017. Has grown from 75 to 215 employees, providing manufacturing and operational career opportunities.
• Star Distribution SystemskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlorida's premier third-party logistics provider headquartered in Plant City. Makes 800+ deliveries daily, offering warehouse, driving, and management career opportunities.
• NuCycle EnergykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaterials management company manufacturing alternative fuel from landfill materials. Provides green manufacturing and logistics jobs at Plant City headquarters.
• T-MobilekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelecommunications company with Tampa-area Customer Contact Center providing customer service and corporate career opportunities.
• MacDill Air Force BasekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilitary installation partnering with FCA to hire local graduates through 6th Force Support Squadron workforce programs.
• Florida Army National GuardkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilitary career opportunities for program participants seeking military service and training benefits.
• Universal Technical InstitutekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical training provider offering automotive, diesel, and other trade programs for students seeking certification and career advancement.
• Best Florida JobscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecond program of Workforce Development Partners introduced to help adult job seekers access diverse career opportunities and help employers round out hiring needs alongside the student-focused Future Career Academy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Genesys Works: Nonprofit that equips high school students from under-resourced communities with technical skills and corporate internships leading to entry-level careers. Closely mirrors FCA's mission of connecting high school seniors to local employers.
• Year Up: National nonprofit providing workforce training, corporate partnerships, and job placement for young adults transitioning into careers. Overlaps with WDP's adult-focused Best Florida Jobs program and employer-sponsorship model.
• Hillsborough Community College: Local community college and named WDP strategic partner providing apprenticeship and training pathways for program graduates. Comparable as a workforce-development training provider and a feeder into the same employer pipeline WDP serves.
• Junior Achievement USA: National nonprofit delivering career-readiness curricula, employer engagement, and work-force simulations to K-12 students. Compares to WDP's in-school Future Career Academy curriculum and corporate-sponsored workforce model.
• CareerSource Tampa Bay: Regional workforce development board serving Hillsborough County with employer-matching, hiring events, and job-seeker services funded under WIOA. Already listed as a WDP channel partner; offers the most direct functional overlap with both FCA and BFJ programs.
• NAF (National Academy Foundation): National network of career academies embedding industry-themed curricula in high schools with employer partnerships and work-based learning. Operationally analogous to FCA's curriculum-in-schools and industry-exploration video model.
• SkillsUSA: National nonprofit serving middle, high school, and college students preparing for trade, technical, and skilled-service careers. Comparable in target audience (high school students) and workforce-readiness mission to Future Career Academy.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: Established national nonprofit operating workforce development, job training, and placement programs across multiple regions. Comparable mission (employment placement for adults and youth) and employer-engagement model, but at much greater scale and geographic breadth.
• CareerSource Florida: State-level workforce development board coordinating workforce policy, funding, and programs across Florida. Overlaps with WDP's job-placement and employer-matching functions, with greater scope and public funding.

Others

• Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce: Regional business membership organization hosting employer networking, policy advocacy, and workforce initiatives. Comparable through its employer-relations role and convening function that supports workforce partnerships similar to WDP's employer events.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/workforcedevelopmentpartners
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/workforce-development-partners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Workforce Development Partners