Restaurant owner committed to workforce goals — even sans USF Sarasota-Manatee

Lately I've found myself considering the various roles that higher education plays in our lives and in our communities. 

Our community is stronger when people who are hungry to learn have a variety of opportunities, whether that's a technical college like Manatee Technical College (full disclosure: I’m currently Chair of its Board of Governors), a state college, an art & design school or a university. 

For perhaps no other reason than offering to host the first public rally where concerned citizens could gather and lift their voices, my ugly mug somehow became one of the faces opposing the proposal for USF Sarasota-Manatee to exit our community and cede their campus, buildings (and debt) to New College of Florida. 

Oysters Rock Hospitality employs several USF Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM) graduates in key leadership roles, from hospitality to accounting. As a business owner, one of the most important things I do is recruit, mentor and develop people. Over the years, I've learned that a diploma alone does not predict success. Some of our best leaders followed traditional college pathways. Others did not. What they all share is the ability to communicate, solve problems, adapt to change and lead people — because what we hire is the person, not the diploma. 

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Too often, discussions focus on institutions, campuses or politics. Those conversations have their place, but they distract us from a more important question: What is the purpose of higher education? From where I sit, the answer is simple. Higher education should develop capable people who are prepared to contribute to organizations, build meaningful careers and strengthen our community. 

Technology is reshaping every industry. Artificial intelligence is already changing how businesses operate, make decisions and serve customers. The jobs our students will hold 10 years from now may look dramatically different than today's. Meanwhile, Sarasota-Manatee continues to grow rapidly, and every industry is competing for talent. Healthcare needs nurses and administrators. Schools need teachers. Businesses need engineers, accountants, marketers and technicians. Hospitality companies like Oysters Rock need leaders who can manage increasingly complex operations while delivering exceptional guest experiences.

The most valuable thing any college, university, or training program can provide is not simply information. Information has never been more accessible. The real value lies in teaching people to think critically, communicate confidently and effectively, collaborate with others and develop a lifelong love of learning. 

Our region benefits from multiple institutions serving different missions. But taxpayers and students deserve institutions that collaborate more than they compete. The question isn't whether we need two schools offering four-year degree programs across the street from one another. It's whether our talent development pipeline is organized to deliver the greatest value to students, employers and our community. In restaurants, we don't assume every guest wants the same experience. Some order à la carte. Others choose the prix fixe menu. Great hospitality is about offering choices while maintaining quality. Higher education should embrace that same philosophy. 

Our community needs a menu of opportunities: four-year degrees, associate degrees, technical certifications, apprenticeships, workforce training and lifelong learning. Just as every guest has different needs, every student has a different journey toward career success. This is not a challenge that higher education can solve alone. 

The business community also has a responsibility. If employers want graduates who are better prepared for the workforce, we must become better partners. That means supporting internships, apprenticeships, mentorships, scholarships, tuition reimbursement and serving on advisory boards. It means opening our doors to students and helping educators understand the skills tomorrow's workforce will require.

Now that Gov. DeSantis has signed the next state budget, our business community should embrace and support all institutions for higher education, to ensure schools produce graduates who stay and contribute for generations. USFSM has long kept its graduates here, but as that changes, we need to work with all schools to keep producing future-ready grads for our businesses and our community. I love this new term: future-ready workforce, replacing workforce-ready graduates. 

Technology is advancing so fast that graduates need to be ready for roles we haven't even imagined yet. Our students deserve opportunities to develop both the technical and human skills required for success. Our employers need talented and adaptable team members. Our community needs engaged citizens and future leaders. 

We've lost USF in our community. These are the cards we were dealt — now we must move forward to ensure that New College of Florida produces future-ready graduates as quickly as possible. If we keep that goal at the center of the conversation, we'll strengthen not just higher education, but the future of Sarasota-Manatee itself. 

John Horne has been a leader in the Sarasota-Manatee hospitality industry for 40 years and opened his first Anna Maria Oyster Bar in 1995. Today the parent company he founded, Oysters Rock Hospitality, operates seven restaurants with some 450 employees