Pensacola State Collegeand theUniversity of West Floridaare partnering to start Clean Lab Technologydegree programsintended to create high-paying jobs and attract new industries to the area.
PSC is applying for Triumph Gulf Coast, Florida Job Growth and Florida Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Program grants to initiate a Clean Lab Technology Program that would be applicable in industries where sterilization and sanitation of the products they produce is essential, said PSC President Ed Meadows.
He announced the venture during the Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce's State of Education luncheon held Thursday at Hilton Garden Inn Downtown.
"There are existing industries here already that must use Clean Lab Technology, but if we are going to recruit industries that are not here - like semiconductor and pharmaceutical companies - then we need to have a trained workforce," Meadows said at the luncheon, which also brought UWF President Manny Diaz Jr., Caroline Walters from Columbia Southern University, as well as Escambia County Schools Superintendent Keith Leonard and Santa Rosa County Schools Superintendent Karen Barber together to answer questions ranging from AI to the future of public education.
Clean room technicians maintain sterile environments in laboratories in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and other industries.
Meadows said about 80% of clean lab technicians need an associate degree, while upper level management and engineer positions require bachelor or higher degrees that would come from UWF. Salaries for certified clean lab technicians with associate degrees can start at $70,000 per year, while those with bachelor's or higher degrees earn well over $100,000, he added.
Skilled high-paying jobs would also fill openings for local companies.
Diaz also sees the degree program as a way to expand Northwest's Florida industry base.
"Anytime you are able to stand up a quality workforce pipeline, it becomes attractive to companies looking to relocate or expand. In the case of Pensacola, it is an already attractive area," Diaz said, noting the degree program may also support the area's military sector.
As part of our due diligence, we would connect with existing industries to ensure that the program would be directly tied to our already dense military/contractor sector here in NW Florida.
The start cost of the degree program is still uncertain, however Meadows estimated it between $2.5 million to $3 million. And if funding is secured next year, he said Pensacola State would start with the renovation of an existing facility for the program.
"I would love to see a brand new facility that would be in combination with our health sciences/nursing programs. They already work in a clean environment, but we do have a new facility planned for our South Santa Rosa campus, so that could also be a potential site for a clean lab technology program," he said.
After completing an associate degree at PSC, the program would allow students to transfer to UWF.
"That would be the goal in working with PSC to ensure the program would be seamless. Again, we are in the preliminary phase of the discussion," Diaz said, noting that the university will work with PSC on a timeline for the degree program.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal:PSC-UWF collaborating on 'Clean Lab' programs that could bring new industry, $100K+ jobs
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