Northwest Florida state colleges partner with FSU for programs to enhance workforce development

CRESTVIEW, Fla. (WALA) -It’s the start of new possibilities for students at five Florida state colleges. Administrators from colleges across Northwest Florida along with Florida State President Rick McCullough put pen to paper as part of an agreement for new programs geared towards workforce development.

“The goal is really to help build a workforce development especially for this region but for the state of Florida in those areas, providing good jobs for people as they get educated,” said FSU President Rick McCullough.

Tallahassee Community College, Gulf Coast State, Northwest Florida State, Pensacola State and Chipola College will all collaborate with FSU to develop programs based around workforce development in aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and health care education. FSU says a lot of this was made possible thanks to a $98 million grant from Triumph Gulf Coast that they hope to have finalized next month.

“Without those kinds of resources to really build this into an accelerated program then it takes years and years and years. This will move this to the front,” said McCullough.

College presidents say the demand for jobs in these fields is steadily increasing. They hope partnering the state colleges teaching and learning with FSU’s research and development can mean big things for students and the local communities.

“There’s a demand for 300 airframe and power plant mechanics in this region,” said Devin Stephenson, president of Northwest Florida State College. “We don’t know that the work we’re doing in this region will be able to meet that demand.”

“it’s going to enhance the standard of living and the quality of living for each of our service areas for the state colleges,” said Ed Meadows, Pensacola State College president. “Of course with the university they don’t have a service area so the impact could be far reaching beyond the panhandle.”

The presidents say over the next several weeks they’ll be working on the budget for the programs as well as waiting for final approval from Triumph Gulf Coast before officially launching the programs.

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