Profile: Polk Works

Polk Works is a non-profit corporation that oversees the state and federal funds dedicated to preparing and upgrading a skilled workforce. The organization helps thousands of businesses find employees and remain leaders within their industry.

Polk Works is governed by a volunteer regional workforce development board representing the business and educational community of Polk County. Business owners, executives and community leaders serving on the Board look at critical workforce issues and develop strategic planning goals and objectives. The strategic plan helps to engage the greater community in overall efforts to address performance of the following programs: 

• One-Stop Centers
• WorkForce 2020
• Young Leaders
• REACT

The Board focuses on these initiatives through the following committees:

Business Competitiveness Council prepares workers for targeted high-skill jobs.

Career Council helps underemployed workers improve their skills so they can get better jobs with better wages that provide economic self-sufficiency.

Youth Development Council prepares young people for their first jobs.

Revenue Innovations Committee helps to raise additional funds to support our workforce development programs.

Resources Committee oversees all activities related to personnel policies, marketing and recruitment of board members.

Finance Committee oversees the budget and monitors financial performance.

Polk Works Board members, 65 percent of whom are business leaders, are appointed by the Polk County Board of County Commissioners to serve a three-year term. Currently, the Board has over 40 members and 19 staff members to oversee its annual budget. The Board meets six times a year for approximately two hours.  All Board members also serve on at least one committee that meets six to ten times a year for two to three hours.