Month: February 2024

High school graduates in Pinellas County will receive scholarships to attend the local college for freeFunding reinforces company’s support for St. Petersburg College, as well as a shared commitment to create a diverse, skilled workforce that is representative of the communities we serve

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., February 1, 2024 /3BL/ – Duke Energy Florida announced a $50,000 donation to St. Petersburg College’s (SPC) Promise Scholarship program to provide 2024 graduates of eight Pinellas County high schools with the opportunity to attend SPC at no cost to them.

The funding from Duke Energy Florida will provide upcoming high school graduates with an opportunity to get their tuition and fees completely covered as they obtain associate degrees or financial aid-eligible certificates.

“Duke Energy Florida and SPC have a long-standing history thanks to a shared commitment to uplifting the communities we serve,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “We are grateful for the decades of successful collaboration with SPC that ranges from staging crews at their campus during storms to educating generations of our employees to the creation and success of the Electrical Lineworker program. We are proud to support this scholarship opportunity that we believe will have a lasting impact on tomorrow’s workforce as well as generations to come.”

SPC’s Promise Scholarship was launched last year as a pilot program for graduates of five area high schools with the highest poverty rates in Pinellas County. In 2023, more than 460 students received the scholarship. The college also announced last year that it has increased the number of high schools participating in the program to eight.

“This generous donation from Duke Energy helps us continue our promise to educate students into better jobs, better lives and better futures,” said Dr. Tonjua Williams, SPC president. “We have collaborated with Duke Energy on many initiatives over the years and greatly appreciate their continued support of SPC and our students. They are intentional in their philanthropic endeavors, always striving to advance the community.”

Scholarship monies are disbursed on a first-come, first-served basis. Once an SPC application is submitted, students will be sent the next steps.

More details on the scholarship are available at spc.edu/promisescholarship.

Duke Energy Florida

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 10,500 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 1.9 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.

St. Petersburg College

Founded in 1927, St. Petersburg College (SPC) is Florida’s first two-year college. Regionally accredited and nationally recognized, SPC offers more than 200 degree, certificate and transfer programs, including many high-demand, high-skill, industry-recognized workforce certifications. The college’s career-focused curriculum is created with input from industry experts to provide students with real-world skills needed to meet the needs of today’s employers.

Media contact: Audrey Stasko 
Media line: 800.559.3853 
Twitter: @DE_AudreyS

St. Petersburg College media contact: Samantha Stanich 
Phone: 727.341.4195 
Email: Stanich.Samantha@SPCollege.edu

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As 2024 unfolds, it is clear that brands will continue to navigate a world in which their actions, statements, and policies are scrutinized not only for their economic impact but also for their social impact. Navigating social issues requires a delicate balance, as missteps can result in reputational damage, loss of customer trust, and even financial repercussions.

In our latest issue of Navigating ESG Comms Through the Cosmos – Aquarius Edition, 3BL explores how to negotiate the current business landscape and…

Noteworthy trends in sustainability and social impact, such as the 54th annual World Economic Forum, AI uncertainty, ongoing book bans, and more.The opportunity to utilize impact communication to educate key stakeholders on your commitments and advocate for positive change.What the highest-grossing published content categories were in the past month on the 3BL platform.How brands can draw inspiration from Aquarius’ revolutionary spirit in addressing social issues and maximizing their impact

See what insights Aquarius has in store this month. 

ROCHESTER, N.Y., February 1, 2024 /3BL/ – According to the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch, January marks the 34th consecutive month of job growth for U.S. small businesses. Wage growth for workers continues to stabilize in the new year with hourly earnings growth remaining essentially unchanged since November at 3.47%.

“As we begin 2024, job growth in small businesses is continuing at a steady pace,” says John Gibson, Paychex president and CEO. “Nationally, wage growth remains stable despite 65 minimum wage changes taking effect in various states and localities on January 1. Small and medium-sized businesses remain resilient in the face of many challenges, including a tight labor market for qualified workers, the cost of and access to capital, rising employer regulations, and cost of providing benefits to attract and retain employees.”

“Several macroeconomic data sources point to a strong close to 2023,” adds Gibson. “Gross domestic product (GDP) increased 3.3% in the fourth quarter while the annual unemployment rate hit its lowest point since 1969, signaling federal policymakers have managed to bring down inflation and secure a ‘soft landing’ without major repercussions for workers or the economy. Policymakers need to address the cost and access to growth capital for small businesses, as well as the long term-issues impacting the labor market — including the participation rate and the quality of the workforce — to support the continued growth of small businesses, which drives the U.S. economy.”

Jobs Index Highlights:

At 100.69, the national index indicates continued job growth but at a slower pace.With indexes above 100, all regions continue to report positive job growth in January. The South (101.12) leads the pace of regional job growth in January and has ranked first among regions for 16 of the last 17 months.Leading the South, Tennessee (102.19), Texas (102.06), and Virginia (102.01) are all reporting index levels above 102 in January.Ranked first among top U.S. metros in January, Dallas jumped 1.60 percentage points to 103.30 and has now increased its job growth rate for three-straight months.Education and Health Services (101.91) leads industries for small business job growth to start 2024. Indicating strong, sustained job growth, this sector’s jobs index was above 102 for 33 consecutive months leading up to January 2024.

Wage Data Highlights:

At 3.47%, hourly earnings growth has stabilized and is essentially unchanged over the past three months (3.48% in December 2023, 3.49% in November 2023).At 4.03%, the West leads regional hourly earnings growth for the eighth consecutive month. The South (3.33%) has the lowest hourly earnings growth rate among regions.Washington’s 5.17% hourly earnings growth in January is the highest among states for the sixth consecutive month.Seattle reports 5.27% hourly earnings growth in January, the fifth consecutive month over five percent, and ranked first among top U.S. metros.Construction has the strongest weekly hours worked among sectors for January, up 0.32% since December. Leisure and Hospitality also experienced strong one-month hourly earnings growth (5.10%).

The complete Small Business Employment Watch results for January 2024, including interactive charts detailing the data at a national, regional, state, metro, and industry sector level are available at www.paychex.com/watch. Learn more and sign up to receive monthly Employment Watch alerts.

About the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch 
The Paychex Small Business Employment Watch is released each month by Paychex, Inc. Focused exclusively on businesses with less than 50 workers, the monthly report offers analysis of national employment and wage trends, as well as examines regional, state, metro, and industry sector activity. Drawing from the payroll data of approximately 350,000 Paychex clients, this powerful industry benchmark delivers real-time insights into the small business trends driving the U.S. economy.

About Paychex 
Paychex, Inc. (Nasdaq: PAYX) is an industry-leading HCM company delivering a full suite of technology and advisory services in human resources, employee benefit solutions, insurance, and payroll. The company serves approximately 740,000 customers in the U.S. and Europe and pays one out of every 12 American private sector employees. The more than 16,000 people at Paychex are committed to helping businesses succeed and building thriving communities where they work and live. Visit paychex.com to learn more.

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Media Contacts 
Chris Muller 
Paychex, Inc. 
585-338-4346 
cmuller@paychex.com 
@Paychex

Colleen Bennis 
Matter Communications 
Account Director 
(585) 666-9510 
cbennis@matternow.com