| Grants totaling $35.5 million from two state programs will be distributed to public and private career centers, community colleges and universities for training in employment fields of critical need, officials said Tuesday. The state's Succeed, Florida! program, in its second year will award 156 competitive grants to support new and expanding programs in nursing and allied health fields, manufacturing, automotive technology and teacher certification with $33.4 million. Those sectors have been targeted by Enterprise Florida and Workforce Florida, the state's public-private economic development and employment agencies. The Succeed, Florida! total includes $5.3 million in grants for 102 new career academies. Last year, the program distributed $31 million in competitive and career academy grants. "The best economic development tool is an educated work force," said Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings. "It is better than all the incentives that we can offer because it is the first thing that new businesses and expanding businesses look for." Jennings and Education Commissioner John Winn also announced 38 grants totaling nearly $2.1 million in first-year spending for career training under the state's new APlus-Plus program aimed at increasing the rigor and relevance of Florida's high schools. The APlus-Plus grants include programs in health care, teaching, information technology, finance, firefighting, construction, building design, graphics, automotive services and sports medicine. "If we can stay on this mission for three years we will forever change the face of high school education," Winn said. |
