Mosaic Awards SCF, Manatee-Sarasota Technology Grant

State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) has received a grant from The Mosaic Company for more than $350,000 to be awarded over two years for a Manufacturing Opportunities for Skills Advancement and Innovation Collaborative. The collaboration will enhance SCF's Engineering Technology (ET) program to offer 10 new employer-requested manufacturing courses beginning in Fall 2017.

“This expanded SCF and Mosaic partnership fills a critical advanced manufacturing skills gap and strengthens our community's economic development with increased job opportunities for students and well-trained graduates for local employers,” said Dr. Carol Probstfeld, SCF president.

The grant is earmarked to help SCF purchase equipment and build a lab for the manufacturing program on its Bradenton campus. The purchased manufacturing and quality assurance equipment, software and classroom technology will offer students hands-on training and experience. The College also will retrofit existing classrooms for the program with training equipment for pumps, motors, AC/DC electrical systems, mechanical processes and manufacturing processes.

"This important partnership started two years ago as State College of Florida and Mosaic sat down together determined to make the right training for mining and production jobs accessible in Manatee County," said Walt Precourt, senior vice president of Phosphate Operations. "The development of this curriculum is a meaningful step toward that goal and makes it possible for those entering the job market to call Mosaic or many other local industries home, while growing their future and the future of Manatee County."

A Manufacturing Skills Gap study indicated that the need for regional manufacturing jobs continues to be critical. The new curriculum, including industry certifications such as Manufacturing Skills Council Certificate (MSSC), will provide students with a variety of foundational, technical and soft skills for a career in advanced manufacturing. Additionally, this expanded SCF-Mosaic partnership allows SCF to offer more industrial management and maintenance opportunities in credit and noncredit classes, as well as customized workforce training.

For more information, contact Cassandra Holmes, executive director of the State College of Florida Foundation, at holmesc@scf.edu.