For Immediate Release
November 15, 2019
Contact: Lydia Martin
Lydia.Martin@stlucieschools.org
Phone: 772-429-5544
St. Lucie Public Schools Awarded Pathways to Career Opportunities
Pre-apprenticeship Programs Grant
ST.LUCIE COUNTY, FL – St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) was just awarded $408,310 from the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) for the Pathways to Career Opportunities Pre-apprenticeship Programs Grant. This grant award follows other recently obtained grants. This time, the grant award will fund pre-apprenticeship programs in Building Construction Technologies and Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing. These programs were designed to aid in our continuous effort to fill the skills gap in our local community.
The Building Construction Technologies Program, already established at Port St. Lucie High School, will be enhanced through this grant. The grant will fund a pre-apprenticeship opportunity to include: Learning Lab Work Stations, industry standard tools, field trips, Learning Lab Safety equipment and recognized certification exam fees for students.
The Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing Technician Program at Treasure Coast High School, will be augmented by the pre-apprenticeship component which will include laptops for students with ACU Autodesk LearnKey software, manufacturing materials and supplies, and training in the areas of mechanical drive system, electro-pneumatic systems and robotic pick and placement systems.
Director of Career and Technical Education (CTE), Aliesha Seitz stated, “We are thrilled to receive these dollars from FLDOE. These funds will amplify both the Building Construction Technologies Program and the Advanced Manufacturing Technician Program by providing pre-apprenticeship opportunities.”
SLPS proudly boasts 65 career academies and 40 career and technical programs. The number of industry certifications has increased more than 200% over the last four years. College and career ready students demonstrate they have the knowledge, skills and academic preparation to succeed in a career or in college. CTE is for ALL students. CTE students will develop both hard and soft skills which can be validated by earning one or more industry certifications.
About St. Lucie Public Schools
St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) proudly serves students with a graduation rate of 91.8 percent. As a high-ranking B-rated District, there are no failing schools, and SLPS ranks among the top one-third of Florida’s districts for student achievement. The District also 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.
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