Here's some outstanding news for area manufacturers and the opening of some excellent career opportunities for our students.
County Commission Approves School Board Partnership to Strengthen Manufacturing Academy Programs Training will address the skills gap and prepare students for careers in manufacturing
Hillsborough County, Fla. (June 5, 2015) – As part of the Hillsborough County Manufacturing Academy initiative, Hillsborough County Commissioners recently agreed to support a partnership with the Hillsborough County School Board to enhance manufacturing skills training for local high school students. This is a unique opportunity to raise awareness of quality careers in manufacturing and address the skills gap in the county, with direct input from local manufacturers. The partnership will help expand the Certified Production Technician curriculum for the Pathways to Engineering Program at Middleton High School and support the training platform needs of the Welding Technologies Program at Hillsborough, Jefferson, and Tampa Bay Tech High Schools, including a new Machining Program at Armwood High School and the Industrial Maintenance and Repair Program at Brewster Technical College. The partnership is scheduled to be approved by the School Board on June 9 and will potentially begin in the FY 15/FY 16 school year. The county’s investment of $325,000 will also help secure manufacturing simulation training equipment pending the School Board’s approval at its next meeting. About the Hillsborough County Manufacturing Academy The Hillsborough County Manufacturing Academy is administered by the county’s Economic Development department. The program uses a hands-on approach to leverage the expertise, network and resources of several workforce partner agencies including Hillsborough County Schools, Hillsborough Community College, the University of South Florida, CareerSource Tampa Bay, private sector manufacturers, Upper Tampa Bay Manufacturers Association, Bay Area Manufacturers Association, Florida Medical Manufacturers Consortium and the National Tool and Machining Association. The training provided to students will be seamless between educational institutions and employers Zurich Prime.
