DeSantis unveils $3 million grant for Pasco-Hernando State College workforce program
DeSantis awards $3 million grant to PHSC
Governor Ron DeSantis hosted a press conference in Brooksville where he announced a new grant for Pasco-Hernando State College. The Job Growth Grant Fund awarded $3 million to the school's new Airframe and Powerplant program.
BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - During a press conference at Pasco-Hernando State College, Governor Ron DeSantis awarded the college a $3 million grant to invest in workforce programs.
Job Growth Grant Fund
The backstory:
At the press conference, DeSantis reflected on the state of workforce programs at the beginning of his term of governor in 2019.
At that time, the job growth grant fund was announced, to help increase the number of high school programs, apprenticeships and manufacturing partners when it came to workforce training.
Now, DeSantis says that funds have allowed for massive expansion of programs over the years, including for truck driving CDLs and aerospace training.
"We want to provide the opportunities for students to choose their own way. It doesn’t have to be four-year brick and ivy universities," DeSantis said. "It can be apprenticeships, it can be high school certifications, it can be our state college system."
Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas said $12 billion has been given from the Job Growth Grant Fund so far.
Grant money for Pasco-Hernando State College
Dig deeper:
DeSantis said the $3 million will be invested into the school’s Airframe and Powerplant program at the Brooksville-Tampa regional airport.
The money will help with the renovation and build-out of classrooms and labs for the new program. It will bring in the tools and instructional technology necessary for hands-on learning. And will help relocate the original pilot program location to the regional airport.
At the new location, mechanics will work alongside aviation students.
What's next:
DeSantis emphasized the growing need for those in the blue-collar industry.
"No matter what happens in society in the state of Florida in the future, people’s air conditioning is going to break, and they’re gonna need somebody to fix it," he said.
School officials stated the money will help expand the college’s capacity to meet regional workforce needs and will ensure that graduates are prepared for high-skill and high-demand aviation careers.
Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner and alum of PHSC said this growth fund and other programs like it have spent years leveling the playing field for students.
The Source: This article was written based on a press conference that Governor Ron DeSantis held in Brooksville.