ivate Partnerships of Today Help Town Center of Tomorrow
“ Ideally , we create that pipeline of talent where they ’ re staying here , working here and living through the amenities they want ,” he said .
Town Center also reflects the City of Palm Coast ’ s unique relationship with institutions of higher learning across Northeast Florida , in partnership with the area ’ s leading health systems . These relationships became the catalyst for MedNexus and the introduction of the University of North Florida and Jacksonville University to the Palm Coast area .
Headquartered in Town Center , both universities are tapping directly into Flagler Schools ’ talent pipeline to train the workforce of tomorrow while providing Flagler County an opportunity to grow the community by retaining the next generation .
“ By having these major universities here , in that medical field , in that STEM technology field , it really gives those kids the opportunity to not only have an impact on where they live but really drive the economy of which they ’ re going to live in ,” said Rizzo .
Dr . Chris Sapienza , provost and chief academic officer of Jacksonville University , sees the expansion and investment into the southern Northeast and Central Florida markets as a win-win for the university and the communities in which they serve .
“ For 88 years , Jacksonville University has proudly served Northeast Florida residents and businesses with high-quality graduates in high-demand fields . Now we ’ re taking steps to expand our programs to meet the needs of different communities in our region . Together with our Jacksonville campus , the Palm Coast location in the city ’ s Town Center will be an important first step in what we expect will become a JU education corridor delivering quality educational programming and innovative workforce development throughout Northeast Florida and beyond ,” said Sapienza .
Jacksonville University ’ s expansion into Palm Coast is part of a growing medical industry across the northeast and central Florida regions , and institutions of higher learning and businesses are taking notice .
“ Flagler and Volusia counties are experiencing rapid population growth , and our analysis showed that demand for healthcare services in Palm Coast , as well as the statewide nursing shortage , aligned with our award-winning programs , including Clinical Mental Health , Speech Language Pathology and advanced Nursing education ,” she said .
The expansion aligns with the City of Palm Coast Town Center ’ s initiatives to develop Palm Coast into a regional destination for healthcare services training , according to Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin .
“ Those students will get jobs here , but in addition , the academic institutions will attract related and alignable businesses – laboratories , research firms , all of the kinds of low infrastructure , high-paying fiber optic med required businesses that pay enough so that younger people can actually afford to live in Palm Coast . It ’ s a closing of the full circle , starting with our flagship programs in the schools .”
With these programs , Palm Coast will retain its current generation of learners who become tomorrow ’ s businesspeople , leaders and influencers .
Jacksonville University Palm Coast campus
APRIL 2022 | 21 |