St. Lucie County - Thursday August 8, 2024: St. Lucie Public Schools, and 22 other Florida school districts, have been chosen to begin implementation of the Space Florida Academy Program within their districts.
The program aims to connect students with high-demand credentials and skills necessary to work in the aerospace industry; credentials that may not have been traditionally associated with the aerospace industry.
Space Florida is the state’s aerospace finance and development authority. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the schools was signed by Space Florida Last Thursday, August 1.
“The Space Florida Academy Program offers a new trajectory for students to explore careers in aerospace by breaking down legacy perceptions of what an aerospace career requires,” said Rob Long, president and CEO, Space Florida.
“Being selected to participate in the Space Academy Program broadens the career opportunities for our students by ensuring they have the industry standard credentials needed to fulfill highly skilled, high-demand jobs in the local space industry," said St. Lucie Public Schools Superintendent Jon Prince.
“St. Lucie County is well known for its prominence in marine manufacturing but we’ve also been building our aerospace and aviation footprint at the Treasure Coast International Airport and with the opening of companies like Accel International," said Peter Tesch, president of the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County.
The Space Florida Academy Program will focus on reframing aerospace job characterization by focusing on the following target areas to meet current and future industry demand:
- Aviation/Aerospace
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Construction
- Cybersecurity/IT
- Logistics
- Semiconductors
The program is being implemented in collaboration with industry leaders, the Florida Department of Education, the Florida Department of Commerce, the REACH Office (Reimagining Education and Career Help), and CareerSource Florida.
Nearly every high school in Florida offers some level of credential and certificate programs identified as desirable by the aerospace industry. Rebranding these courses as part of the Space Florida Academy Program further highlights a pathway to potential well-paid employment with a high school diploma.
View a current list of aerospace industry demand credentials and skills HERE.
The 22 other county school district that will be part of the program are: Baker, Brevard, Charlotte, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Hamilton, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Martin, Marion, Miami-Dade, Nassau, Osceola, Orange, Palm Beach, Putnam, St. Lucie, Santa Rosa, and Suwannee.
For more information about the Space Florida Academy Program, visit www.spaceflorida.gov/workforce-initiatives.
About Space Florida
Space Florida is where leading aerospace companies get everything they need to see their new ideas take off. As the state’s aerospace finance and development authority, Space Florida brings a mix of unrivaled experience, unmatched financial tools, and unbeatable location to the table by providing critical business financing opportunities for the aerospace industry, managing infrastructure investment in the state’s spaceport system, and facilitating research and development, workforce, education, and investment programs.
About St. Lucie Public Schools
St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) proudly serves students with a graduation rate of 90%+ for seven consecutive years, ranking them in the top 10 in the state. SLPS is a high-ranking B-rated School District that has the distinction of being recognized as one of St. Lucie County’s Best Places to Work. The mission of SLPS is to ensure all students graduate from safe and caring schools equipped with the knowledge, skills, and desire to succeed. Connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, or visit http://www.stlucieschools.org.