Local college access network PLANit Sarasota has joined a new statewide campaign to promote education after high school for recent graduates and adult learners as key to the economic recovery of Florida and individual Floridians.

“Talent Strong Florida” is promoted by the Florida College Access Network (FCAN) to raise awareness and build a strong consensus around the need for education beyond high school and knock down barriers that contribute to educational attainment gaps for lower income Floridians and people of color. PLANit Sarasota’s goals align with those of FCAN.

The new statewide campaign supports the state’s "SAIL to 60" initiative, a statutory goal to increase the percentage of working-age Floridians with a high-value post-secondary certificate, degree or training experience to 60 percent by 2030. Currently, 52 percent of Florida’s working age population holds a college degree or workforce credential.

PLANit Sarasota, along with FCAN, is also targeting the gap among Florida’s non-white population, which will make up 53 percent of the workforce by 2030 but currently trails white Floridians in degree attainment by double digits. Further, among Florida’s low-income population, which is dominated by Blacks and Hispanics, only 10 percent of students complete a degree by age 25. Several PLANit Sarasota work groups are addressing key initiatives with the shared goal of increasing the percentage to 60 percent by 2030 of Sarasota County residents 25 years and under who have obtained a high-value postsecondary certificate, degree, or training experience.