Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded $2.3 million in funding to support rapid credentialing workforce and education programs, including commercial driver’s license and logistics training.
These programs help Floridians earn high-wage jobs and support the supply chain that is currently in great need of workers.
North Florida Technical College and Florida Gateway College are among the recipients.
“Workforce education provides a pathway for Floridians to succeed, but also helps alleviate the damage being wrought by inflation and supply chain interruptions,” said DeSantis. “In Florida, we are stepping up by providing support to skilled trades that are essential for a strong economy.”
Funding awarded today will help students across the state access workforce education. Rapid credentialing programs are designed to accelerate pandemic recovery for Florida residents and the state economy by increasing all of Florida’s state and technical colleges’ capacity to enroll and graduate students in short-term, in-demand, high-wage occupation and workforce programs.
“I was thrilled to receive the call from FLDOE notifying us that we will be awarded an additional $100,000 from Governor DeSantis’ Emergency Education Relief, under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act,” said Brad Bishop, director of North Florida Technical College.
The funds support rapid training programs, spanning six to sixteen weeks, in the areas of CDL, logistics and healthcare. Since the outset of the pandemic, DeSantis has prioritized $35 million in GEER I funds for short-term training programs at Florida’s state and technical colleges.
Bishop said, “The grant assists in educating and training residents in commercial vehicle driving who are unemployed, underemployed, or furloughed. The Commercial Vehicle Driving Program is an eight-week course that offers in-depth, hands-on truck driving experience and provides connections with future employers. If anyone is interested in finding out more about our program benefits, please contact 904-966-6764, or visit our website nftc.edu.”
Past funding led to more than 18,000 short-term certifications within a year, in addition to increasing the number of graduates from CTE programs statewide since 2019 to over 63,000.
The total immediate collective impact is estimated to benefit 1,200 students by May 2022 and benefit 2,000 students by August 2022. Class A and B CDLs remain in remarkably high demand across the state and can lead to mid-level family sustaining wages, as can critical entry-level healthcare occupations.
“We are one of six colleges to receive added funds because our team led the way with strong performance on grant evaluations. I couldn’t be prouder of the NFTC team members who worked to support student success from registration to graduation,” Bishop said.
Institutions that will receive funding are:
—$930,000 to State College of Florida for CDL training.
—$550,000 to Manatee Technical College for Logistics (forklift) and CDL training.
—$415,000 to South Florida State College for CDL training.
—$100,000 to North Florida Technical College for CDL training.
—$135,000 to Florida Gateway College for Licensed Practical Nursing training.
—$150,000 to College of Florida Keys for Licensed Practical Nursing and Surgical Technology training.
Florida has led the way in workforce development. The Florida Department of Education will celebrate Career and Technical Education in the month of February
