The Florida Department of Education has announced the allocation of $14.6 million through the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant (PCOG) to support apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs across the state. The funding will be distributed among 34 entities, including school districts, colleges, state universities, and private training organizations. This initiative is expected to benefit more than 7,100 participants by providing both on-the-job training and classroom instruction.
“Governor DeSantis’ continued investment in workforce education is transforming opportunities for students across Florida,” said Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. “These programs give students the chance to train alongside industry experts and discover their strengths and step confidently into the jobs that drive Florida’s economy forward.”
Since its inception, the PCOG program has awarded a total of $105 million, supporting over 350 proposals and serving more than 20,000 participants statewide. The grant aims to expand access to practical training methods that serve both job seekers and businesses by developing registered apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs. Details about the latest grant awards can be found at https://www.fldoe.org/pathwaysgrant/.
Florida currently leads the nation in efforts to attract and develop a skilled workforce, with Governor Ron DeSantis committing over $10 billion toward workforce education and training initiatives. There are nearly 800,000 K-12 career and technical education students enrolled in Florida—an all-time high for the state—alongside more than 480,000 postsecondary CTE students and over 22,000 registered apprentices and preapprentices.
Additional information about the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant Program is available at www.fldoe.org/pathwaysgrant.
