On November 7, 2025, Columbia County Economic Development and the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program partnered to launch the first Career Café at the Adult Education building next to the school board office.
The event brought together CTE students from Columbia and Fort White High Schools with local employers to discuss the skills and training needed for today’s workforce. Van Brown and Jennifer Daniels from Economic Development joined forces with CTE’s Angela Coppock and Tiara Jernigan to coordinate the event.
Participating Businesses
Six local businesses shared valuable insights with students:
- Carlisle Construction Materials
- PAR Industrial
- Employment Express
- Another Way
- CareerSource North Central Florida (CSNCFL)
- New Millennium Building Systems
Addressing a Critical Need
The Career Café emerged from summer site visits conducted by Economic Development Specialist Van Brown and EJ Ghobar, Manager of Business Retention and Expansion for Florida Commerce. These walkthroughs revealed a common challenge: local companies struggled to find qualified employees and had little awareness of the CTE program.
This discovery sparked collaboration between Economic Development and CTE to create meaningful connections. The intimate setting allowed for focused interaction between students and employers. Students actively engaged with the information, taking notes and collecting materials for future reference.
Community Support
Local businesses generously provided refreshments for the event. Karen Santos with Carlisle Construction supplied breakfast and brunch items, while Dylan Adams with the Haymar Group donated subs, drinks, and sandwiches for lunch.
Looking Ahead
The inaugural Career Café proved successful, and a second event is planned for spring. Businesses interested in participating can contact Van at 386-758-3355 for more information.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this event a great success!
