$200,000 in state funds will go toward new advanced manufacturing program
Welding students, aspiring cosmetologists and future mechanics paused from their work to wave to Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday morning as he toured Manatee Technical College’s main campus in Bradenton.
Scott visited the campus to announce it as the first recipient of funding from the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund. A $200,000 grant will go toward developing an advanced manufacturing program at the school, and Scott encouraged MTC leaders to keep asking for more from the grant fund.
“This has a big impact on job growth in the community,” Scott said while touring a robotics lab. “I have $85 million to spend. I’ve already spent $200,000 with you. All you have to do is have a program that makes sure these students get jobs, so we get a return for the taxpayer, and you’ll get more money.”
Scott asked MTC executive director Doug Wagner questions as the two toured the facility, wanting to know the cost, capacity and outcomes of the college’s programs. When Wagner told him all 140 students graduating from the welding program had received jobs, Scott wanted to know why it wasn’t bigger and what it would take to double the program.
Wagner told the governor that when MTC was built the job outlook was very different. But now, many of the trade programs funnel students into jobs with statewide shortages, and the college needs to grow to meet the demand.
Manatee Schools Superintendent Diana Greene said the district would keep coming back for more money.
“We will apply for more money. We have no problem doing that,” Greene said. “The money will help us start moving this advanced manufacturing.”
The $200,000 grant will go toward a new advanced manufacturing program to provide employees for more than 300 businesses in Manatee and Sarasota, Wagner said, and students would graduate understanding the entire manufacturing process.
“It’s moving a product that is a raw piece of material all the way to a finished good,” Wagner said.
Workforce training is one of the Manatee County School District’s strongest programs. Every year the county sends dozens of students to national and international competitions where they regularly place in the top 10. Scott said he had not seen a technical college in the state offering the range of programs that MTC does.
“This is really impressive. I haven’t been to a technical college — this doesn’t mean there’s not — but I haven’t been to one I’ve seen that’s bigger than this one,” Scott said.
Scott said he decided to visit MTC both because of the strength of its grant application and because School Board Chairman Scott Hopes had been “calling me quite a bit to make sure I get down here.”
“We wanted to make sure we put the $85 million in programs that lead to jobs at the end and this was a really good proposal they had,” Scott said.
Hopes, who has described himself as Scott’s oldest friend in Florida, praised the governor’s job growth record.
“Under your state leadership and support, MTC has been instrumental in bringing new business and industries to our community,” Hopes said.
Scott has been touting Florida’s economic growth during his tenure, fueling rumors of a potential run for U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s seat this year.
Scott did not say if he would run for the Senate and told reporters he was focused on his final year as governor, but he did mention his potential opponent. Nelson has said President Donald Trump’s announcement on Tuesday to not pursue offshore drilling in Florida after strong opposition from Scott was “a political stunt,” designed to boost the governor’s profile headed into a campaign.
“Senator Nelson ought to be happy. To get the secretary of the interior to say they are not going to do offshore drilling, he should be happy,” Scott said. “It’s not about politics, it’s about policies.”