Northwest Florida State College is set to expand its workforce training offerings after Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a $3 million investment Monday for a new Maritime Fabrication Training Center on the college’s Niceville campus.
The approximately 4,000-square-foot facility will be designed to prepare students for high-demand careers in composite fabrication, testing and industrial pipefitting.
NWFSC President Mel Ponder attended Monday’s announcement in Jacksonville, which highlighted Florida’s investment in workforce education and career training.
The new center will feature two purpose-built training bays — one dedicated to composite fabrication and another for metal fabrication.
The facility will support two new workforce programs: a 22-credit College Credit Certificate in Composite Fabrication and Testing and a 600-hour Industrial Pipefitter Career Certificate featuring two occupational completion points.
Training for Northwest Florida’s Growing Industries
The college said the new center will help address workforce needs in a region where maritime, defense, aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries continue to grow.
NWFSC’s Niceville campus is positioned along a maritime corridor stretching from Panama City to Pensacola and is located near Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field and Duke Field.
As regional employers increasingly use composite materials and require skilled pipefitters and fabricators, college officials say the new programs will provide students with hands-on training aligned with industry needs.
“Northwest Florida has the opportunity to build and sustain the ships, aircraft and advanced systems that carry American power, and our College’s responsibility is to make sure we have the skilled workforce ready to meet that demand,” Ponder said.
Ponder said the center will give students experience with the processes and techniques they will encounter in the workplace while earning credentials employers recognize.
The college also emphasized that the programs are intended to create pathways into high-wage, high-skill careers without students having to leave Northwest Florida to find those opportunities.
New Programs Aim to Connect Students With Employers
Students training at the new facility will work in an environment designed to mirror actual workplace conditions.
Dr. Christopher Gabers, NWFSC Dean of Workforce Education, said the college plans to work with industry partners to ensure students learn skills that employers need while also preparing them for changes in technology and manufacturing.
“The Maritime Fabrication Training Center will allow us to provide students with practical, hands-on training that closely reflects what they will experience in the workplace,” Gabers said.
Rhea Goff, chair of the NWFSC Board of Trustees, said the investment will create additional pathways for students while helping the region remain competitive in industries considered critical to Florida and the nation.
“This investment allows Northwest Florida State College to further our mission to transform lives in the communities we serve,” Goff said.
The college credited DeSantis, Florida Commerce Secretary Alex Kelly, the Northwest Florida legislative delegation, regional economic development organizations, county and community leaders and private-sector employers for supporting the project.
The $3 million investment adds another piece to Northwest Florida’s growing workforce infrastructure as maritime, defense and advanced manufacturing companies expand along the Gulf Coast.
NWFSC officials said the center will help ensure regional employers can find workers who are trained locally and prepared for the technical demands of these industries.
