Florida’s rural economy could get a boost with a new airport

District of Hendry Inside Florida Getting ready to host a new cargo airport “AirGlades”, a $300 million project that will transform the economy of a largely agricultural area. Local leaders are hopeful that the initiative will bear more fruit 1,400 highly skilled jobs. However, the ability to deliver on this promise depends on overcoming a number of academic and political challenges.

According to Associated Press, one-third of the county’s working-age population lacks a high school diploma, and nearly half speak a language other than English at home. Local educators need to help get these residents on board first General Education Diploma (GED) And learn English before you are adequately prepared for airport engineering and manufacturing jobs.

Michael SwindleDistrict Superintendent of Schools said AP: “We have some of God’s most beautiful country that has never been touched by man, yet by every measure by which a county can be judged, we rank first or second in the ugliest category”.

With the airport project pending approval, various community groups and schools are working to fill teacher shortages and invest in adult education. Futuremakers AllianceA community organization has expanded two adult education centers Labelle Y Clewiston With the aim of improving the skills of the local workforce. The alliance funds a counselor to help adults who are trying to develop new skills and make a career change, she said. AP News.

At the Adult Education Center LabelleInstructor Sylvia Gullett He was forced to come up with creative solutions to serve his students, who often had jobs or family responsibilities. According to WSVN NewsGullett has established a committee Share it So students can combine carpools and split childcare duties. Additionally, if students do not attend classes, he texts them to resolve the issue. “I try to tell people that the only people who can stop them are themselves,” Gullett said.

In ClewistonAnother adult education center sees students wearing thick gloves and breathing masks. Samantha Garza, 21, is an example of the changes education can bring. She initially studied babysitting, but changed course after watching welding videos Network light. “I’m an artistic person, I already have a steady hand, and I like getting dirty doing physical things, so I felt like this would be a career for me,” Garza said. Fox 40.

Before the airport opens, some local employers are keen to hire local students. American SugarA major sugarcane manufacturer has instituted an internal welding program to address the generation gap between mechanics and welders. Nathan Hollissaid the company’s industrial skills trainer Associated Press: “We’re trying to close the generation gap between mechanics and welders.”

Despite these efforts, it is difficult to find enough instructors to provide the necessary training. Swindle had to hire a worker American Sugar Teaching welding and convincing a retired school bus mechanic to come out and run a diesel mechanics program. Despite these difficulties, with tuition revenue and donations, the district plans to open another training center focused on LaBelle. HVAC and plumbing.

The political climate has also created additional obstacles. In Florida, efforts to tailor education to the needs of black and Latino populations have come under scrutiny, and some politicians have banned programs that consider race and national origin. AP This political environment is causing problems in the recruitment of teachers. A slide on “white privilege” presented during a volunteer meeting with non-teaching staff Future Makers It sparked protests from conservative activists who accused the organizers of racism. Future Makers He then stopped using slides in his presentations.

Rhetoric surrounding public education Florida Complicating teachers’ attraction. Swindle pointed out Associated Press: “The rhetoric around public education is terrible. “It absolutely hurts us.” This teacher shortage affects the ability of local schools to train welders, mechanics, construction workers, nurses and other professionals.

The county is spearheading marketing campaigns to recruit educators and paying paraprofessionals to obtain licenses and become teachers with the help of the grant. Good job opportunities challenge 23 million dollars US Department of Commerce

A plan to privatize the small county-owned airport is pending approval Federal Aviation Administration. This approval is part of coordinating contracts with suppliers Latin America To prove its potential as a hub for perishable goods.

For now, district officials are focusing on meeting current workforce needs while testing the feasibility of launching new training programs. Once construction of the airport begins, it will take about two years to train a new generation of logistics operators, agricultural customs inspectors and other aviation-related professionals.