EFSC Accomplishments 2018 | Page 12

July 2018 College Accomplishments July 2018 Training Aerospace Workers EFSC received a nearly $3.8 million state grant to train Floridians for jobs in aerospace and advanced manufacturing as part of a major initiative from then-Gov. Rick Scott. (Student Enrollment, Diversity Initiatives, Financial Management, Trustee Relations, Community Awareness) Highlights: • The grant was one of six Florida Job Growth Grant Fund projects totaling $10 million, with Eastern Florida receiving the largest amount at $3.79 million in partnership with Daytona State College. • The grant will help provide Space Coast students excellent career opportunities in fast-growth job fields. • Aerospace, high-tech and advanced manufacturing businesses and industries along the Space Coast will also benefit from a “talent pipeline” of skilled employees going into their ranks. • In all, the grant will play a significant role in training a new generation of high-tech workers, including companies launching a new era of human spaceflight from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. • Under the grant, Eastern Florida received $2.575 million for advanced technology equipment, computers and related needs. Daytona State received $1.214 million. 12 • The money will be used to ramp-up a new Robotics Lab on the Palm Bay Campus, new Mechatronics Lab on the Cocoa Campus, new aviation simulators at the Aviation Center at Melbourne International Airport, and advanced welding equipment. •  The funding comes as aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries are rapidly expanding in Brevard, ranging from small companies to major space firms such as SpaceX and Blue Origin. •  Trained employees are key to these company’s sustained growth and success, with Eastern Florida playing a central role in making that happen. • With the grant, EFSC students can earn a Bachelor Degree, Associate Degree or College Technical Certificate in more than 25 related programs. •  They include Aerospace Technology, Engineering Technology, Computer Information Technology, Aviation Technology and Robotics. • Still more programs are in Drafting and Design Technology, Machinist-Fabricator, Welding and Mechatronics, the latter a field that combines mechanical engineering, electronics and computing for product design and manufacturing.