Northwest Florida Focus

Featured Stories from the Florida Panhandle

Podcast: $1.5 Billion to Support Companies Locating in Northwest Florida

Learn how Northwest Florida is using $1.5 billion from the BP oil spill to help companies locate and expand in the Florida Panhandle. Listen to podcast now.

$119M of the “Triumph” funds have been awarded to date to support an aviation MRO campus, helicopter MRO facilities, and training programs to grow the automotive, HVAC, welding, aviation, logistics and IT workforce. Learn more about Triumph funds and awards>>

Additionally, the state legislature has replenished the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund with $40 million to support infrastructure and workforce training needs for companies creating jobs across the state.

3,000+ Welders Available in Northwest Florida

Florida has a bold goal to be #1 in workforce education by 2030. The Florida Panhandle is helping to achieve this goal with the welding program at Northwest Florida State College, an Accredited Test Facility by the American Welding Society.

Industry leaders such as Eastern Shipbuilding and Yates Construction helped develop the program’s curriculum, which focuses on welding for oil and gas, construction, and developing skill sets in aerospace welding.

Students from this program are participating in an internship with Vertex Aerospace, an international defense aerospace company, located just 24 miles away in Crestview.

Northwest Florida will continue to add to the more than 3,000 welders currently available within a one-hour drive time to support your business needs. Read more about our workforce talent>>