Volume 2 - March 2016
IN THIS ISSUE
Upcoming Events
All-Florida Academic Team Awards Ceremony
April 21, 2016
National College Signing Day
April 26, 2016
Chancellor's Leadership Seminar at Valencia College
May 18-20, 2016
MESSAGE FROM THE CHANCELLOR
Workforce Education and its Invaluable Importance in our Florida College System
The March 2016 cover of Florida Trend features the headline, "A Day in the Working Life of Florida," and it draws our attention to both new and enduring industries in the state.  The article confirms an industrial boom in Florida. It also reminds us that the work our Florida College System does is critical to a vibrant Florida economy.    The strong working relationship our colleges have formed with businesses and industries will ensure we meet the workforce demands.
  
With a spotlight on apprenticeships, I immediately thought of the more than 4,000 businesses in Florida that benefit from skilled workers in apprenticeship programs statewide.  Clearly the reach of apprenticeships in Florida is expansive.  Over the next five years, an additional one thousand students will pursue apprenticeships that will benefit businesses across the state as a result of a $5 million federal grant awarded to a consortium of our colleges.  
 
One story featured a Physician Assistant who started out as an Emergency Medical Technician. This is a great example of how our colleges lead the national focus on degree pathways. Earlier this month, our leadership team was invited to lead a national conversation regarding educational certificates. This included highlighting the average starting wages of entry level certificates earned in Florida College System institutions, which range from $30,847 for an Applied Technology Diploma to $40,503 for those with a College Credit Certificate. 
      
At the Division of Florida Colleges, we are dedicated to helping your colleges and our system continuously improve. Recent activities include the Department of Economic Opportunity creating the State Colleges Projections Portal which provides employment projections for our college's service areas that can help institutions align workforce demand to program development.
 
As we move forward, I am energized and assure each of you that our support of this system remains unwavering, tireless and thoughtful. Together we will change the lives of so many, every single day. I thank you and your staff for their contributions to our collective effort and look forward to the bright future we have ahead.
 
 

Sincerely,

Madeline
Chancellor's Clark Maxwell Scholar  Student of the Month
Brittany Hockey from Pensacola State College (PSC) is the Chancellor's Clark Maxwell Scholar Student of the Month.

Brittany is an honors student pursing an Associate of Arts Degree in Social Work at PSC, and she has dedicated much of her college career to serving others, especially military personnel and veterans. To date, Brittany has completed more than 545 hours of volunteer activities. Some of these service hours include tutoring active duty military students at PSC, volunteering at the Fisher House Foundation, co-organizing for the Naval Air Station Pensacola Children's and Community holiday parties, and organizing volunteer events as the Phi Theta Kappa Vice-President of Leadership.

Brittany is also passionate about how leadership can make an impact at her school and in her community. Brittany stands as the Student Government Association (SGA) Volunteer Committee Co-Chair, helping to coordinate events such as the Manna Food Drives, Day of Caring with United Way, the Movies and Board Game Drive for Sacred Heart Hospital and PSC's Day of Caring at Solaris Healthcare.  She's also attended several leadership seminars, including SGA Regional Leadership at Tallahassee Community College and Student Veterans Association National Conference Leadership and Engagement workshops, in an effort to expand her influential finesse. Despite her numerous commitments, Brittany still finds time to research the bee population in surrounding counties, and she has maintained a 3.92 GPA.

"With her leadership skills and giving heart, Brittany inspires and unites others in her causes," said PSC Marketing Director, Sheila Nichols.

She plans to use her service and leadership experiences and skills as she pursues a career in social work, hoping to specialize in aiding active duty military personnel and veterans.     
Workforce Readiness
Postsecondary industry certifications related to the Florida Career and Professional Education Act (CAPE) strengthen the partnership between students, colleges, and the workforce, offering valuable skills that contribute to and sustain a vibrant state economy. In 2014-15, over 8,000 Florida College System students earned industry certifications while enrolled in FCS institutions. The top five areas of postsecondary industry certifications were earned in Health Science, Law, Public Safety, and Security, and Information Technology.
Chipola College Automotive Service Technology  Program Prepares Students for the Workforce
Chipola College has a state of the art training facility offering a National Automotive Technician Education Foundation master certified program. Their graduates are employed nationwide in the high-wage, high-demand automotive industry.

The median annual wage for automotive service technicians is $36, 610. Master Technicians can earn up to $90,000 annually after several years in the field. Employment of automotive service technicians and mechanics is projected to grow nine percent from 2012 to 2022.
State Colleges Projections Portal
The Department of Economic Opportunity, Bureau of Labor Market Statistics created a special edition online portal for the Florida College System that provides current information on different industry and occupational projections. Though most of the FCS institutions fall within a Florida Workforce Development Area, a few colleges fell within two regions that needed a collection of customized data. Such a collection was created for St. Johns River State College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, Lake-Sumter State College, Valencia College, and Seminole State College of Florida.

This data is created by utilizing industry employment information for the local area to estimate occupational demand by applying industry and occupational staffing patterns for the metropolitan area.
Pensacola State College Students on Track to High-paying Jobs
Pensacola State College began their welding program in the summer of 2014 at the college's campus in Century, one of the most impoverished areas in the county. The program puts students on track to become certified welders within three semesters, so they can enter the workforce. In the program, students start off learning to weld using welding simulators or virtual welding machines. They later move on to live welding with real-world materials.
 
One of the key goals of the program and its location was to facilitate students earning high-paying jobs in a timely manner. According to the 2012 U.S. Census Bureau data, 46.8 percent of the population in Century lives below the poverty line.
 
According to the welding program's organizers, certified welders can make as much as $80,000 a year to start, though the average pay is about $49,000 a year. In order to facilitate student placement in the welding field, the program includes a career coach who helps students facing financial and social challenges.
Meta-Major Pathways

Miami Dade College's Health Care Certificate Program Leads to Jobs

To meet the growing demand for health care professionals, Miami Dade College's (MDC) Medical Center Campus is offering five short-term certificate programs in Pharmacy Technician, Medical Coder Billing, Massage Therapy, Phlebotomy and Medical Assisting. These programs, which can be completed in just a few months, and train students for health care careers.

 

For more than 50 years, MDC has been an essential component of South Florida's economic growth, helping boost local businesses, providing quality education and job training. The college is committed to creating programs that address the needs of the community.

Florida State College at Jacksonville's Partnership with Vistakon Prepares Students for Careers in STEM
Vistakon's Academy of Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering is a partnership among Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), Englewood High School and Vistakon . Students, starting in their junior year of high school, can dual-enroll at FSCJ and earn work experience with Vistakon while doing so. Students who complete the program are then eligible for employment.

This partnership helps to equip students with the experience they need to be successful in a skilled manufacturing job.

Gulf Coast State College Readies Students for Workforce with Advanced Technology Center
Gulf Coast State College's (GCSC) Advanced Technology Center offers students the opportunity to gain necessary skills in business, technology, or culinary programs in order to streamline their career goals. 

The Center, located at GCSC's Panama City Campus, focuses on preparing students for the growing demand in the technical industries ahead of them. GCSC offers numerous degrees and certificates in programs such as Civil Engineering, Digital Design, Computer Engineering Technology, and many more. The programs at the Advanced Technology center are designed for all students to succeed: full-and part-time, with both traditional instruction methods as well as hands-on practices. 

In order to make the transition from college to career as easy as possible, students' classes take a focus in computer literacy, practical application and technical competence, ensuring their success in the 21st century workforce.