Ep. 403 | Closing Florida’s Talent Gap: How Xello Connects Students with Future Careers

In this forward-looking episode, Small Biz Florida host Tom Kindred sits down with Noa Lipton, Territory Manager, and Ralph Aiello, Work-Based Learning Partnership Manager for Xello, live from the 2025 Florida Chamber Future of Florida Forum. The conversation explores how Xello, a state-funded career and academic planning platform, is transforming K-12 education by helping students, starting in kindergarten, discover future careers, build academic pathways, and connect with real-world opportunities, such as internships and apprenticeships. Available at no cost to all Florida public and charter schools, Xello is a powerful workforce development tool helping solve the state's talent shortage. Small businesses are encouraged to get involved by creating a free business profile, giving them access to over 2.5 million students eager to explore careers and gain experience. This episode highlights how early exposure, equity, and public-private collaboration are key to preparing Florida’s next-generation workforce.

This podcast episode was recorded live at the Florida Chamber Future of Florida Forum hosted at the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek. This podcast is made possible by the Florida SBDC Network and sponsored by Florida First Capital.

Connect with Our Guests: https://xello.world/en/