Polk State College Provost Takes Over as Chair of CFDC’s Talent Pipeline Committee

Keeping the talent pipeline flowing in Polk County to ensure existing, growing and new businesses have a steady stream of qualified employees to hire is an important component of economic development.  

The Central Florida Development Council is doing its part to keep the system flowing efficiently. One of its five committees is the Talent Pipeline, hosted in collaboration. Amy Bratten, the new chair of the Talent Pipeline, has the experience and drive needed to move the committee forward. 

Since July 2023, she has been the provost for Academic Affairs and Workforce Education at Polk State College. Previously she served as Associate Provost and Dean at Southeastern University, among other roles, for more than 12 years.  

Along with her role at Polk State, she is also the founder of Amy Bratten Consulting. She started the business seven years ago. In her LinkedIn profile she describes the business as a way to help organizations “build excellence in leading and learning. Educational and leadership consulting services to help grow your organization.” 

Bratten took over leadership of the committee from Dr. Orathai Northern. “Dr. Northern did an outstanding job leading the Talent Pipeline Committee, and Dr. Bratten is the perfect person to continue the momentum within this key position,” said CFDC President & CEO Sean Malott. “She is an integral part of Polk State College, worked for another key university here, has outstanding leadership skills and knows how to collaborate to achieve goals that benefit residents, educational institutions and businesses. We’re thrilled she has agreed to be chair of this all-important committee.” 

Bratten is ready for her new assignment. 

“I’m honored to be in this role to serve the county in which I grew up in and have raised my own family,” she said. “I am generationally vested in the pursuit of sustaining a thriving economy in Polk County by supporting the workforce through local education.”   

Relying on Experience

Bratten will call on her experience to achieve the committee’s goals. 

“My experiences in higher education, at Valencia State College, the University of South Florida, SEU and Polk State College have all provided context for me to understand various aspects of providing post-secondary education to a variety of students in a variety of locations,” she said. “The diversity of my experiences allows me to understand the workforce from different perspectives – student, educator and employer.” 

Talent in Polk County

Talent pipeline is a pool of candidates who are ready to fill a position. It can include employees primed for advancement within a company. Or, vetted external candidates, assuring they are qualified for particular positions. 

Bratten said she thinks the most pressing issue facing the talent pipeline right now is “aligning learners’ talents with the workforce needs in our area by closing the gaps between what employers need and employees want from the workplace. Sometimes the gaps are related to job skills, and sometimes the gaps are related to soft skills.”  

Further, she thinks that Polk County has an adequate supply of talent. 

“There are many Polk County residents who need and want jobs, and there are many jobs available in Polk County,” she said. “The challenge is to make connections between the two. Many career fields require unique skill sets. Our county has solid K-12 school systems and institutions of higher education working to upskill employees to meet the needs of the workforce, including niche areas.” 

Polk County had a civilian workforce of 347,500 people in April 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. People employed was 340,000, leaving Polk County’s unemployment rate just below 4%.  

Additionally, it is home to seven institutions of higher education: Polk State, Southeastern University, Florida Polytechnic University, Florida Southern College, Webber International University, Warner University and Keiser University. 

Goals As Chair

Bratten said she has three goals as chair of the Talent Pipeline Committee:  

• “Continue the collaborative spirit of institutions of higher education in our county to create pathways from education to employment.” 

• “Align the needs of the workforce to higher education offerings in our county.” 

• “Fill job vacancies, especially in critical shortage areas.” 

Having a healthy supply of qualified workers aids in economic development here. 

“A strong talent pool ensures the longevity of businesses in our county,” Bratten said.  “Businesses in our county are the backbone of economic development to sustain quality of life in Polk County.”