A successful entrepreneur and a well-known community leader are working together to establish a one-stop program that will provide support to those interested in pursuing a variety of trades.

Jacksonville native Chris Ware expanded a single Johnstone Supply franchise into more than 40 locations under The Ware Group. Today, he and his family drive the vision behind WareWorks, a non-profit workforce development organization on the city’s south side. Karen Bowling, former chief administrative officer for Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, is by his side serving as chief development officer and focusing on directing the organization’s mission and marketing needs.

In discussing the organization’s mission and purpose Ware and Bowling make it clear they are not interested in replicating programs that already exist. They describe WareWorks as a vehicle to facilitate wraparound support for those with trade aspirations that would include exploring career opportunities, participating in hands-on workshops, and obtaining financial guidance. The organization is also looking to connect veteran trades professionals with opportunities to serve as instructors, preserving critical industry knowledge for the next generation.

“As facilitators, we can get the job done better by connecting with other programs,” Ware said. “Our role is to unite resources in one place and lower the barriers that keep people from entering the trades.”

Ware and Bowling align with the new view that a four-year university degree is not a necessity for a successful career. Working in various trades can be a viable alternative, and mastery can be obtained at less cost.

Bowling, who is familiar with the challenges of dealing with the governmental bureaucratic maze added, “There is no bureaucracy. We can make a decision and really move on it.”

Before working in City Hall, Bowling was a TV news reporter and anchor and a co-founder of Solantic walk-in urgent care with Rick Scott, prior to Scott becoming the governor of Florida and a U.S. senator.

In listening to Ware talk about his dream for WareWorks, it became evident that his experience in the trades fueled a commitment to helping individuals navigate clear pathways into high demand, skilled careers. Over the years, he witnessed firsthand the challenge of building and sustaining a reliable pipeline of trained technicians.

But the “where” to do such a setup was the question. The answer would soon come. Last fall, Ware heard the former Venus Fashion Inc. headquarters was for sale.

One may not think that a building that was once a swimwear fashion house could serve as a hub that could bring together existing training programs, but the layout of the 135,000-square foot building, that had been renovated in 2018, was more than what Ware expected.

“Everything is here,” Ware said. “What a setup.”

His family’s purchase of the multi-level building came with a lot of extras including solar panels on the roof, computer stations, office equipment, conference rooms, and a kitchen space suitable for culinary training. Additionally, the area around the building will provide 350 parking spaces.

In one of those nicely lit, renovated conference rooms, Ware and Bowling have mapped out a plan for reviewing what trades to offer as well as potential partnerships with local agencies, organizations, and higher education institutions.

Several meetings have already taken place with interested parties who see the potential of WareWorks.

Jason Altmire, President and chief executive officer of Career Education Colleges and Universities, the national trade association representing private post secondary career schools, said he feels there is a tremendous market for the idea behind the WareWorks concept.

“I have visited nearly 200 trade schools across the country and spoken with countless employers about the need to find more skilled workers to fill the most in-demand jobs,” Altmire said. “I am unaware of any project similar to WareWorks anywhere in the country, and there is a desperate need for collaboration and information sharing among all stakeholders, as well as a resource center for students interested in the skilled trades to learn how to pursue it. Innovative projects like this are needed and I expect it will do very well.”

James Fletcher, a professor in the School of Engineering at the University of North Florida, explained that the partnership between WareWorks and the University of North Florida marks a pivotal expansion of the Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) Sustainable Solutions Lab’s ongoing workforce development initiatives. This initiative provides UNF undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to research renewable energy and, eventually, clean water technologies as well.

The effort aligns perfectly with WareWorks’ mission to support the creation of a skilled pipeline of trade-industry workers,” Fletcher said. We are establishing MWARE (Microgrid Workforce Advancement for Resilient Energy) for early-career professionals and high school students, connecting them with industry leaders and technologies that represent high-wage career opportunities.”

Fletcher added that what Wareworks is doing really critical, especially for K-12 students.

“There are not as many programs out there as in previous generations that have students working with hands-on projects,” Fletcher said. “WareWorks will be offering students a chance to see that university is not only path for a career. Students need to be educated in what their options and I am excited that Wareworks will be able to give students, especially K-12 students, a chance to explore the options that are available to them.”

These opportunities align with what Ware planned with the WareWorks concept from its early beginnings.

“We are creating a more connected model for workforce development,” Ware said. “When barriers come down and resources work together, more people can step confidently into a skilled trade.”