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Florida Gov. DeSantis Announces More Than $5.8 Million To Provide Workforce Education Opportunities In Rural Communities

Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced more than $5.8 million in Florida Job Growth Grant Funds to Collier County Public Schools to open iTECH Glades Technical College in Moore Haven, a new location of Immokalee Technical College.

The new iTECH Glades campus in Moore Haven will serve an area that does not have any post-secondary training programs within 30 miles. The $5.8 million award will cover five years of startup costs for the technical college and will allow the campus to offer 12 career training programs.

Workforce training will be offered in high-demand fields such as HVAC, diesel systems, accounting, nursing, welding, and healthcare, and will be available to Floridians in Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Okeechobee, and Collier counties.

“When I took office, I asked DEO to focus on finding ways to support and invest in our rural communities – today, they delivered,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.

“I am proud to award $5.8 million through the Governor’s Job Growth Grant Fund to create a new technical college campus in Moore Haven. This new campus will provide the area with access to workforce education that actually helps Floridians find high-paying jobs without being saddled by debt. By investing in projects that make a meaningful difference to Florida’s workforce, we have been able to keep our economy growing month after month, and we are continuing to build an even stronger industrial base in our state,” DeSantis added.

“Through workforce training programs like these, Floridians will have the opportunity to develop their knowledge,” said Florida Secretary of Commerce Jamal Sowell, President & CEO of Enterprise Florida, Inc. “Which in turn will help achieve Governor DeSantis’ vision of making Florida the best state in the nation for workforce development by 2030.”

iTECH currently has a campus in Collier County with a proven track record of equipping students with skills for success.

  • 84% of iTECH students earn a high-demand industry-recognized credential;
  • 95% of iTECH students graduate with minimal student debt; and
  • Overall, the school has an 84% job placement rate.

iTECH Glades anticipates an annual enrollment of 250 students, with an estimated 90% completion rate. Course offerings will support more than 240 local employer partners that have nearly 5,000 job openings annually. Of the 12 pathways offered at iTECH Glades, nine can be completed in a year or less.

The Florida Job Growth Grant Fund is an economic development program designed to promote public infrastructure and workforce training across the state. Proposals are reviewed by the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and Enterprise Florida, Inc., (EFI) and chosen by the Governor to meet the demands for workforce training or infrastructure needs in communities around the state.

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