What Florida Just Did Shouldn’t Stay in Florida
Volume 6 Issue 6 | This article was originally published on SHzoom
“What if your next great fleet technician is already trained… and already paid for?”
That’s the question I asked in a packed conference room at the 2025 FLAGFA Spring Conference. You could hear the pencils stop. Heads turned. Minds started racing.
Because it’s not just a question—it’s the start of a movement.
The future of fleet starts now—and it starts with us.
The Big Idea: #FleetGap
This year at FLAGFA, we quietly launched something bold: #FleetGap, a proof-of-concept program that matches retiring federal fleet professionals—through the DoD SkillBridge program—with local and state agencies in desperate need of skilled technicians.
No fluff. No theory. Just talent, available now, with salaries and benefits fully covered for 180 days.
- The #FleetGap initiative is reshaping the future of fleet leadership, one disciplined, mission-ready candidate at a time.
Real People. Real Change.
We didn't just announce a program. We activated a network.
Meet Michael Brennan, the award-winning fleet vendor! During SHzoom 's work with the U.S. Air Force under our Small Business Innovation Research (#SBIR) award, we noticed something powerful—a gap that couldn't be ignored. Fleet leaders across the nation were struggling to find skilled fleet technicians, yet thousands of highly-trained military professionals were leaving service, ready and able to fill these critical roles.
One of those conversations sparked a game-changing idea:
"What if your next great fleet technician was already trained... already skilled... and already paid for?"
Also stepping up: Brenda Peshel, Lake County’s Fleet Manager, who’s joining SHzoom and the NAFA Fleet Management Association at #NAFA I&E 2025 to reveal how she’s navigating the #FleetGap pilot with precision.
Brenda Peshel, Fleet Manager of Lake CountyAnd if you want credibility? Let’s talk about this crew:
- Brian Carroll, CAFM , newly elected FLAGFA President, bringing a fresh wave of optimism and grit.
- Patti Earley, CAFM, Past NAFA President, who’s been a champion of technician recruitment since day one.
- Bill Schankel, CAE , CEO of NAFA, helping make this a national initiative.
- Herbert Pruitt, Executive Fleet Advisor, whose decades of experience are now focused on helping agencies bridge the FleetGap with confidence.
Shoulder to shoulder with Patti Early, Past NAFA President, and Bill Schankel, NAFA CEO.
Unexpected Innovation in a Familiar Place
We revealed FleetGap in the form of… FleetGap Jeopardy. Yes—PowerPoint slides turned gameboard. And it worked.
People weren’t just learning—they were laughing, connecting, thinking differently. Because solving the technician shortage doesn't require reinventing the wheel. It just needs us to look at the wheel differently.
Techs Jumping Ship” for 500, please.
📅 Schedule your 30-minute UPtime demo today
Ask about joining the #FleetGap Movement: https://shzoom.com/getuptimenow/
One Fleet. One Mission. Florida’s moving fast. Let’s move together.
