Michelle G. Sims

I've been in consulting and workforce development since 2008, and my journey has been driven by a deep commitment to developing professionalism and respect in the workplace. I started as Career Services Director for Virginia College, where I worked with about 600 students a year across Allied Health, Business, and Information Technology programs. We told our students from day one that they begin with the end in mind, and that many of them would one day take care of our families - whether parents, children, or spouses. Just two months ago, I saw one of my graduates who took care of one of my parents, and it was amazing to know this prophetically came true. After Virginia College, I spent six years at CareerSource, our local Florida workforce development board, working in business development with IT and cybersecurity sectors, building employer engagement and offering recruiting and talent acquisition services. I then moved to Public Consulting Group, which was a promotion, where I worked on the TechQuest Apprenticeship Grant with Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. My role was to build employer engagement across nine states, from Florida up to Michigan, either developing new apprenticeship opportunities or reinforcing existing ones in IT and cybersecurity. Toward the end of the grant, I worked with the former state director of apprenticeship for Florida on business development for contract sales in apprenticeship management. I'm also an ordained minister of 30 years, and while I don't mix the two, I utilize my skill sets to assist the next generation. I've developed a business around business etiquette and corporate training, using the formal table setting as a model for knowing and applying team strengths. I recently presented this concept at the Adult Higher Education Alliance conference at the University of South Florida in March, and it was received very well. My mission is to remind corporations that regardless of belief systems, outward appearances, or what a person chooses to do with their lifestyle outside of work, respect is foundational and is due to everyone.