FLORIDA – Governor Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday that the state will award Pasco-Hernando State College a $3 million grant to launch a new airframe and powerplant program at the Brooksville-Tampa Regional Airport, part of a broader push to expand workforce education and career training across Florida.
The funding, drawn from the state’s Job Growth Grant Fund, will support renovation and build-out of specialized classrooms and labs, purchase airframes, power plants, tools and instructional technology, and relocate the college’s professional pilot program to the airport.
Officials said the program is expected to train about 100 students a year and place aviation students alongside future mechanics to strengthen a regional pipeline for aerospace employers.
“This will expand the college’s capacity to meet regional workforce needs and ensure graduates are prepared for high-skill, in-demand aviation careers,” DeSantis said.
The announcement is the latest in the governor’s long-running effort to boost career and technical education. DeSantis reiterated goals set in 2019 to make Florida No. 1 in workforce education by 2030 and highlighted state investments in community colleges, apprenticeships and industry partnerships.
Florida Department of Education Commissioner Stasi Kamoustsas said more than 818,000 K-12 students now participate in career and technical education and about 512,000 students are enrolled at the postsecondary level — a roughly 30% increase since DeSantis took office.
State officials also pointed to sharp gains in apprenticeship programs and other career-training measures, and said the grant is intended to deliver a strong return on investment by matching training capacity to employer demand in sectors such as aviation and aerospace.
DeSantis used the event to place the investment in a wider economic and fiscal context, citing what he described as major accomplishments during his tenure: paying down taxpayer-supported state debt, quadrupling the state’s “rainy day” fund, maintaining triple-A credit ratings and trimming the state budget for a fourth consecutive year.
He also touted Florida’s GDP growth from about $1.1 trillion in 2019 to roughly $1.87 trillion currently and cited recent job gains.
The governor emphasized the practical value of vocational training.
“No matter what happens in society...people’s air conditioning is going to break and they are going to need somebody to come to fix it,” he said.
The governor continued, saying that multiple pathways — apprenticeships, certificates and state college programs — can lead to stable, well-paying work.
Wilton Simpson, the state agriculture commissioner and a Pasco-Hernando alumnus, praised the expansion of vocational programs and noted policy changes intended to broaden access to state Bright Futures scholarships by allowing work hours to count toward eligibility.
Kamoustsas, who helped implement the workforce initiative, said the state has invested more than $12 billion in workforce education and is auditing programs to ensure high returns for students and employers.
Pasco-Hernando State College trustees and local officials attended the announcement. College leaders said the A&P program will help meet regional demand for skilled aviation technicians and support Florida’s growing aerospace ecosystem.