Northwest Florida State College Awarded more than $275,000 in State Apprenticeship Grants
November 15, 2019
NICEVILLE, FL – Northwest Florida State College was awarded a total of more than $275,000 by way of three Pathways to Career Opportunities grants by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) that will focus on developing registered apprenticeships in the areas of carpentry, machining and plumbing.
FDOE awarded more than $7 million to Florida College System institutions, public high schools, school district career centers and charter technical career centers in the first of two rounds in the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant Program. These funds may be used to establish new or expand existing registered apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship programs. NWFSC was the only college in the Panhandle awarded this grant in phase one.
“The importance of these newly established apprenticeship programs cannot be understated,” said NWFSC President Dr. Devin Stephenson. “The future job market will more closely focus on career and technical education, and NWF State College stands ready to respond to those evolving needs.”
In each of the three grants, NWFSC garnered support for the grant proposal from area employers who will be working directly with the College in these newly established apprenticeship programs. These grants will fund the purchase of training equipment, partnership engagement, apprentice outreach and recruitment, curriculum design and distribution and apprenticeship tracking and monitoring.
This announcement coincides with the celebration of National Apprenticeship Week and comes on the heels of NWFSC officially joining the State of Florida’s system of Registered Apprenticeship Programs on November 5. Through this designation, NWFSC apprentices who complete their program of study are accepted by the industry as journey workers and receive nationally recognized certifications and credentials.
For further information about apprenticeships at Northwest Florida State College, contact Bill Allison, director of workforce development, continuing education, and testing, at 850-729-4995 and allisonb@nwfsc.edu.