Florida Allocates $7.2M to Support Workforce Training at St. Petersburg College; Aiming to Boost Skilled Manpower and Employment
St. Petersburg, FL-
Florida officials are using taxpayer funds to invest in workforce training, aiming to generate more job opportunities for residents.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis highlighted the latest workforce training initiatives in St. Petersburg during a recent announcement. He also emphasized the state’s achievements under his leadership, such as its outstanding performance in education and job growth.
St. Petersburg College to receive $7.2 million for the establishment of a training program in semiconductor, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, as announced by DeSantis. He highlighted the crucial role of semiconductors in the modern economy, noting that they are frequently sourced from abroad.
“This is a very high-skill, very high-tech industry for our state,” DeSantis said. “We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars into growing these various sectors in our states, and some of it is through workforce programs.”
According to DeSantis, the absence of domestic semiconductor production poses a significant national security concern, particularly due to the heavy reliance on imports from Taiwan and China.
“The bottom line is, there’s a lot of uncertainty with respect to this, and this has the opportunity, if those chips aren’t being produced, to really crash the economy,” DeSantis said.
According to DeSantis, not everyone finds the idea of pursuing a four-year degree and accumulating significant debt appealing. He emphasized that there are alternative paths to success beyond traditional higher education, such as workforce training and trade schools. Florida is placing a strong emphasis on these options as well.
“You have so many programs where you can go in at low cost, and get equipped with skills where you can really apply that in a very meaningful way,” DeSantis said. “Elon Musk has hired kids out of high school over on the Space Coast of Florida to go to SpaceX.”
DeSantis expressed his commitment to creating opportunities and pathways for both young individuals and those seeking a career change.
“We’re producing high school students that have skills in welding, producing skills in electrical, producing high school students with skills in HVAC,” DeSantis said. “In a state like Florida, all that is gonna be in demand. You are gonna be employed, there’s no question about that.”
According to DeSantis, this training will enable Floridians to pursue entrepreneurship and emphasize that Florida’s population is not decreasing, ensuring a constant demand for these jobs.
