The Melbourne Campus was selected for the
expansion because it’s located in an area with some
of the most robust economic growth in East-Central
Florida, including high-technology and health care.
That will make it a vital center for higher education
and workforce development well into the 21st
century.
Growing business partnerships
Another key aspect of the college’s transformation
is a major emphasis on business partnerships.
An example is the college’s relationship with
Melbourne International Airport, where it has
opened a new Aviation Center to train workers for
the airport’s rapidly growing commercial aviation
sector and the commercial space industry that’s
taking off from Kennedy Space Center.
The FAA-approved Airframe and Powerplant
Technician Program was also started in close
cooperation with such major aviation corporations
as Embraer.
The dividend for graduates is significant with the
median annual wage for aircraft mechanics and
service technicians $55,210.
At Dr. Richey’s direction, the college’s Career
Planning and Development Center was created in
2012 to prepare students for the workplace.
It continues to provide much needed career-
guidance services, internships and job fairs to more
than 45,000 students since its inception.