Florida awards $14.6 million for expansion of apprenticeship programs

The Florida Department of Education has announced the distribution of $14.6 million through the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant (PCOG) to 34 organizations. The funding will help launch, expand, or operate registered apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs at various school districts, colleges, state universities, and private training providers in Florida. The grant is expected to support more than 7,100 participants who will engage in both on-the-job training and classroom instruction.

Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas said, “Governor DeSantis’ continued investment in workforce education is transforming opportunities for students across Florida. These programs give students the chance to train alongside industry experts and discover their strengths and step confidently into the jobs that drive Florida’s economy forward.”

Since its inception, the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant has provided $105 million in funding for over 350 proposals and has served more than 20,000 participants statewide. This initiative allows students throughout Florida access to effective training methods that benefit job seekers as well as businesses through apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs. Additional details about this year’s grant recipients are available at https://www.fldoe.org/pathwaysgrant/.

According to state data, Governor Ron DeSantis has allocated over $10 billion toward workforce education and training initiatives. As a result, Florida leads the nation in attracting and developing skilled workers. Currently, there are nearly 800,000 K-12 career and technical education students—an all-time high for the state—along with more than 480,000 postsecondary CTE students and over 22,000 registered apprentices and preapprentices.

Further information about the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant Program can be found at www.fldoe.org/pathwaysgrant.