On Wednesday, Sept 22, officials from Gulf Coast Community College unveiled before a group of local community leaders and business owners what they termed a regional approach to higher education.Hosted by the Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce over lunch at the Owl Café, Gulf Coast Community College president Dr. Jim Kerley and his associate's shared details of a new $35 million dollar Advanced Technology Center scheduled for construction in Panama City.
Kerley told those gathered that recent research estimates that by 2018, 63 percent of all jobs in the U.S. will require training and expertise beyond a high school education. He further explained that the country will need 22 million new college degrees, but will fall short of that number by at least 3 million and that at least 4.7 million new workers with postsecondary certificates will also be needed.
While the growth of jobs demanding one to two year technical degrees and industry-recognized certificates are outpacing the growth of those requiring bachelor’s degrees and higher, currently less than 20 percent of Florida’s ninth graders receive any type of postsecondary credential.
Additionally, Florida students that receive below an A-B average in high school have a far lower credential completion rate. Furthermore, one in four students entering high school will not graduate and one in three high school graduates in Florida does not plan to attend college, while less than half of the students attending college will actually complete a degree.
Additionally, Florida students that receive below an A-B average in high school have a far lower credential completion rate. Furthermore, one in four students entering high school will not graduate and one in three high school graduates in Florida does not plan to attend college, while less than half of the students attending college will actually complete a degree.
Kerley told the group that the College is working with school officials throughout the area to address the deficiencies and that the goals of the new Advanced Technology Center will be to serve the workforce and economic development needs of the entire region.
Kerley stressed that parents, teachers and the community must start telling all students that they can now go to college, whether to receive training in a six-month certification or technology program, or to receive a degree.
Kerley stressed that parents, teachers and the community must start telling all students that they can now go to college, whether to receive training in a six-month certification or technology program, or to receive a degree.
“A key component in the economic development of Northwest Florida is the availability of a world-class trained workforce. This new Advanced Technology Center located at Gulf Coast Community College plays a critical role in developing the skills required to attract high-tech, high-wage jobs. We should not underestimate the importance of this asset to the future of our region,” said Wm. Britton Greene, President, and Chief Executive Office of the St. Joe Company.
The four-story facility complete with a green roof will sit off Collegiate Drive in front of the FSU Panama City Campus and behind Gulf Coast Community College and feature an Alternative Energy Lab, an E-Learning Suite, a Digital Media Program, and a Music Production Technology Program.
The facility will also feature dedicated rooms and breakout areas for student and partner collaboration along with state-of-the-art video conferencing, and global synchronous meeting technologies for community and corporate partners of the college.
Anita Grove, Executive Director for the Chamber is now working toward having details of the Advanced Technology Center presented before the parents and students of the City’s Project Impact Program and the ABC Charter School.
The four-story facility complete with a green roof will sit off Collegiate Drive in front of the FSU Panama City Campus and behind Gulf Coast Community College and feature an Alternative Energy Lab, an E-Learning Suite, a Digital Media Program, and a Music Production Technology Program.
The facility will also feature dedicated rooms and breakout areas for student and partner collaboration along with state-of-the-art video conferencing, and global synchronous meeting technologies for community and corporate partners of the college.
Anita Grove, Executive Director for the Chamber is now working toward having details of the Advanced Technology Center presented before the parents and students of the City’s Project Impact Program and the ABC Charter School.
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