Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Award of $4 Million to Indian River State College to Create Advanced Technology Workforce

Governor Ron Desantis visited Indian River State College on February 7th to announce a $4 million award to further advanced technology programs. 

A leader in education and innovation, Indian River State College transforms lives by offering high-quality, affordable and accessible education to the residents of Florida’s Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie counties through traditional and online delivery. IRSC is a recipient of the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges. The College serves nearly 22,000 students annually and offers more than 100 programs leading to Bachelor’s degrees, Associate degrees, technical certificates and applied technology diplomas.

Nearly 200 people were in attendance at the brand new IRSC’s Eastman Advanced Workforce Training Complex located on the Massey Campus in Ft. Pierce when the Governor announced the $4 million award. The funds will be used to create advanced technology workforce development programs and build an innovative Center of Ballistics and Emerging Technology.

The funding is through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund (JGGF) which makes strategic investments in programs that build stronger communities and support workforce training across the state. The JGGF is an economic development program designed to promote public infrastructure and workforce training across the state. Proposals are reviewed by FloridaCommerce and chosen by the Governor to meet the demand for workforce or infrastructure needs in the community they are awarded to. The Fund allocated $40 million and awarded 20 projects in fiscal year 2021-2022 and 18 in fiscal year 2022-2023.

“We see an opportunity to use the job growth grant to really make an impact not just with workforce, but also for the economy here on the Treasure Coast of Florida,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.

“So I am today pleased to be able to award a $4 million grant through the job growth grant fund to Indian River State College to create a new center for ballistics and emerging technology.”

The Center for Ballistics and Emerging Technology will serve as the nexus where industry partners, law enforcement agents, workforce training professionals, and Indian River State College students and faculty collaborate. The project plans to create more than 300 new advanced manufacturing-trained graduates over the next ten years.

The project underscores Indian River State College’s vision to provide development and testing to support business and innovation. This project will allow the College to expand its training in advanced manufacturing, particularly in precision fabrication and mechatronics. The project complements the programs and facilities of the Eastman Advanced Manufacturing Building and the Treasure Coast Public Safety Training Complex.

The 60,000-square-foot Eastman Advanced Workforce Training Complex is Florida’s newest, most technologically advanced workforce training facility. The official ribbon cutting was held last Fall on November 1, 2023 with over 400 in attendance from elected officials to professionals in the local community.

Expansive laboratories dedicated to Mechatronics, Robotics and Smart Automation, Welding, Automotive Technology, Refrigeration, HVAC, and more are carefully designed and outfitted to support students as they earn certifications and degrees in programs that help satisfy the region’s growing need for a highly skilled talent pipeline. Students train in immersive educational environments with a network of experienced instructors, utilizing best-in-class technology as they build the critical skills required for rewarding careers in high-demand occupations.

“The manufacturing industry in America is growing rapidly, and Florida, in particular, is home to an expanding manufacturing ecosystem,” said Indian River State College President Dr. Timothy Moore. “With the opening of our Eastman Advanced Workforce Training Complex, Indian River State College is poised to deliver a talent pipeline that meets the workforce needs of today and tomorrow, bolstering our region’s economy and attractiveness to employers, expanding career opportunities for our citizens, and helping realize Governor Ron DeSantis’s goal to be the number one state in the nation for workforce education by 2030.”

“This grant will help take technology off the shelf, put it to use, and help those who protect us,” said Indian River State College President Dr. Timothy Moore. “The Governor’s support has been instrumental. I cannot think of a more important way to demonstrate the value of education, the value of technology, and the value of leadership.”

The site is also home to and informed by the Advanced Manufacturing Hub, a collaborative effort to address the looming shortage of local workforce in precision machining, industrial automation systems, integrated smart factory operations, supply chain automation and logistics. The Hub offers a broad range of programs introducing critical knowledge and hands-on skills in areas enabling the growth and automation of Industry 4.0.—the next phase in the digitization of the manufacturing sector.

The manufacturing industry in America is growing at a rapid rate. Florida is home to an expanding manufacturing ecosystem. Over 24,000 manufacturers support 426,000 manufacturing jobs with average salaries of $74,575. According to the Florida Commerce 2023 Florida Manufacturing Report, “Florida’s manufacturing employment reached 422,800 in September 2023, passing both Georgia and New York to become the 10th largest state in the country for manufacturing employment. Manufacturing employment has grown by 23.3% since 2014, again significantly higher than other leading manufacturing states.”

As manufacturing jobs continue to be reshored to the United States from global markets, Florida is poised to become one of the top five manufacturing states by 2030. In 2019, Governor DeSantis set a clear goal that Florida would be #1 in workforce education by 2030. IRSC President, Dr. Moore, intends to make that happen!

Learn more at www.irsc.edu.