Several programs in the Lee County School System will get to share in nearly $25 million from the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program.
The funds were announced Wednesday by Governor Ron DeSantis as an investment to either create or expand 19 programs dedicated to strengthening workforce development across Florida.
Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant funding provides Florida students with opportunities for hands-on educational experiences in a broad range of career and technical education programs such as automotive maintenance and light repair, digital video and technology, allied health assisting, criminal justice operations, entrepreneurship, emergency medical responder and many more.
The Lee County School District was one of 18 across the state to get the funding. The district's funding will assist programs focused on advanced manufacturing technology, firefighting, electricity and other additional programs.
Other school districts and Florida College System institutions receiving funding through the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant in 2023–24:
- Broward County School District : Funding will assist programs focused on semiconductor business management and analysis, practical nursing, horticulture and many other additional programs.
- Flagler County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on phlebotomy, nursing assistants, emergency medical technicians and other additional programs.
- Indian River County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on automotive maintenance and light repair.
Leon County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied robotics, engineering pathways, welding technology and other additional programs.
- Martin County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied information technology, criminal justice, nursing assistants and other additional programs.
- Miami-Dade County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on industrial biotechnology, automotive maintenance and light repair, digital video technology and other additional programs.
- Nassau County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on welding technology.
- Okaloosa County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on teaching, emergency medical responders, criminal justice and other additional programs.
- Santa Rosa County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on global logistics.
- Seminole County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on global finance and entrepreneurship.
- St. Johns County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied cybersecurity.
- St. Lucie County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on applied robotics, building construction technologies, pharmacy technician and other additional programs.
- Sumter County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on welding technology, animal science, horticulture and other additional programs.
- Washington County School District: Funding will assist programs focused on cloud computing and virtualization, management and entrepreneurial principles, welding technology and other additional programs.
- Florida State College of Jacksonville: Funding will assist programs focused on welding and medical assistance.
- Miami-Dade College: Funding will assist programs focused on enterprise cloud computing, computer programmer mobile applications development, network security and other additional programs.
- Tallahassee Community College: Funding will assist programs focused on applied robotics, engineering technology, supply chain management and other additional programs.
This $25 million investment is part of the $100 million allocated in August to the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program. The program provides grants to school districts and Florida College System institutions to fund some or all of the costs associated with the creation or expansion of career and technical education workforce development programs that lead to industry certifications included on the CAPE Industry Certification Funding List.
More information about the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program and the application process can be found at CAP Grant.
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