A drastically changed workforce environment resulting from the outbreak of COVID-19 has altered employment opportunities for many in the region.

Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced a $2 million Economic Development Administration grant for the construction of the Treasure Coast Advanced Manufacturing Center during a May 29 visit to Indian River State College.

The Center for Laser and Fiber Optic Education, LASER-TEC, headquartered at Indian River State College, has received a $1.6 million National Science Foundation grant to support its transition into an Advanced Technological Education Resource Center. The expanded center will be better positioned to increase the laser, optics, photonic and fiber optics technical workforce to meet Department of Labor projections.

Apprenticeship programs help businesses develop highly-skilled employees, which reduces turnover rates, increases productivity and lowers the cost of recruitment. In response to increased demand for high-quality manufacturing employees, and in cooperation with Indian River State College, Piper Aircraft Inc. in Vero Beach has launched an accredited apprenticeship program.

Working in small groups, nearly 50 students in the Indian River State College School of Business performed SWOT analysis, a strategic planning technique. They conducted research and provided business growth strategies for eight local organizations that participated as capstone course case studies. Through their semester-long capstone project, students applied the academic knowledge they have learned over four years in their bachelor’s program to real-world situations. They evaluated social media, researched grants, developed and conducted surveys, and drafted policies and procedures on behalf of their capstone clients.

Indian River State College has been named the 2019 winner of the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges. The Aspen Prize, awarded every two years since 2011, recognizes outstanding institutions selected from an original pool of more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide. With a singular focus on student success, the Aspen Prize assesses institutional performance in four areas: student learning, certificate and degree completion, success after graduation in the labor market and in transfer to four-year institutions, and equity in access and success for students of color and low-income students.

Training for the manufacturing needs of today and tomorrow has a look far different than in the past, and Indian River State College stands poised to anticipate and fulfill employers’ requirements with a purpose-built facility that joins together advanced technology and leading-edge industry training to meet key areas of workforce need in our region.