July 2019 College Accomplishments
Space Coast
Apprenticeship Consortium
EFSC became partners with six high-tech firms, including
three aerospace companies, to create apprenticeship
programs tailored to meet their need for skilled
workers through the Space Coast Apprenticeship
Consortium. (Student Enrollment, Diversity Initiatives,
Community Awareness)
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The companies are OneWeb Satellites, RUAG Space, Rocket
Crafters, Knights Armament, Matrix Composites and Discovery
Aviation.
King Center Renovations
The King Center underwent major renovations to
modernize key areas of the building and replace its aged
HVAC system in the most extensive upgrades since the
facility opened in 1988. (Financial Management, Trustee
Relations, Community Awareness)
• Funding for the $3.5 million project came primarily from the
King Center’s endowment, which consists of money from state
grants, corporate sponsors and private donations.
• The work consisted of two parts.
• The first involved modernizing major parts of the building at a
cost of $1.9 million. The work included the following:
• Bold architectural updates to the front entrance, renovating
the main lobby with a bar and concession area and modernizing
the VIP Crown Club.
• An initial group of 19 apprenticeships were involved with
company employees dividing their time between their job and
courses in Engineering Technology and Aerospace Technology
on the Cocoa Campus. • Instruction centered on Mechatronics, a field that marries
electrical, engineering and computing systems to make high-
tech products. • Enclosed vestibules at the front entrance to streamline security
procedures were added, and the exterior of the building was
repainted.
• Other areas of focus were advanced manufacturing and fiber
composites. • The second part replaced the building’s old heating, cooling
and ventilation system at a cost of $1.6 million.
• OneWeb Satellites and RUAG Space, two satellite
manufacturers located at Kennedy Space Center, said the
college’s expertise in the field was a key reason they located
here. • The system cools the 2,016-seat main theater, smaller studio
theater, rotunda and administrative offices.
• The King Center Board of Directors is eyeing a second phase
renovation project in a few years, raising money through a
community-based capital campaign.
• To that end, L3Harris donated $1 million to the King Center for
naming rights to its main theater.
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The EFSC partnership could serve as a statewide model to help
grow and maintain a high-tech workforce, particularly with
start-ups seeking new employees.
2019 College Accomplishments