A Dynamic Approach to Workforce Education

Meeting Industry Demand in the Classroom and Beyond

Meeting industry demand and providing the academic path to get there is what Seminole State College is known for and does best.  With workforce needs shaping the approach the college takes, Seminole State College has been aggressive in tailoring its program offerings to meet the job landscape. Reflecting this industry-driven compass, when Seminole State College shuts down an academic program, it happens fast. No drawn-out committees, no years of deliberation. If employer demand dries up, the program closes. This streamlined approach piqued the interest of even the college’s own president when she first arrived seven years ago.

“I was sort of surprised at how quickly the college would shut programs that were no longer needed and open new programs that were meeting new program needs,” says Dr. Georgia Lorenz, who leads the institution recently named among the top 10 finalists for the prestigious 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The recognition places Seminole State in the top 1% of community colleges nationwide, competing for the $1 million award that one president called “basically the Oscars for great community colleges.”

Behind this agility lies a sophisticated data operation. The college analyzes semi-annual labor market reports, maintains industry advisory boards for every program, and keeps direct lines open to major employers. Florida’s rapid growth demands nothing less. The state now supports approximately 70% of all U.S. space launches, while Jacksonville prepares to become America’s first hub for autonomous vehicle manufacturing.

“We always judge our programs against the predicted demand in the future as well as current demand,” Dr. Lorenz explains. The college partners closely with economic development groups and chambers of commerce, ensuring “there’s no wall between us and the region we serve.” Programs must meet two criteria: address workforce needs and lead to family-sustaining wages. Dr. Loretta Ovueraye, Vice President of Academic Affairs, notes that this approach delivers results. “Our placement rates are very high. On average, it’s about 94%.”

 Meeting Florida’s High-Demand Sectors

Florida Council of 100’s statewide analysis gave Seminole State its roadmap. The study identified healthcare as a foundational sector guaranteed to grow with Florida’s population boom, then pinpointed “best bets” including IT, aerospace, aviation, and advanced manufacturing.

“For us, those were big areas,” says Dr. Lorenz. “Construction is another foundational sector that we continue to invest in. We’re remodeling our construction trades building.” The timing proves critical. Space Florida reports the state’s aerospace industry needs welders, technicians, and construction workers to support operations that now account for 70% of U.S. launches.

The Space Coast presents unique opportunities beyond traditional aerospace roles. “Welders, for example, are needed in all sorts of different industries, including on our Space Coast,” Dr. Lorenz notes. The college’s new job growth grant specifically targets these middle-skills positions. “Not everybody is a rocket scientist. Some people need to build the rockets, weld the rockets, refurbish the SpaceX Falcons when they come back.”

IT represents another growth frontier. Orlando’s metropolitan area has set an ambitious goal to become the next Silicon Valley, driving demand across multiple specialties. “That’s everything from game design to cybersecurity, network security,” Dr. Lorenz explains. “We are trying to keep up with that growth and contribute to the regional strategy.”

Healthcare needs remain insatiable. Dr. Ovueraye confirms the ongoing shortage: “There seems to be a never-ending need for nurses, respiratory therapists, and health information technology.” The college maintains partnerships with AdventHealth, Orlando Health, and HCA Healthcare, ensuring students gain clinical experience while still enrolled. These relationships prove essential as Florida’s population continues its rapid expansion.

94% Placement Success

Students at Seminole State don’t wait until graduation to enter the workforce. By their second semester, healthcare students work in hospitals. Education majors log classroom hours from day one. This early immersion drives placement rates that would make any institution envious.

“Students who enroll at Seminole State College are very fortunate. Our placement rates are very high. On average, it’s about 94%,” says Dr. Ovueraye. “The lowest is in the seventies, and that is not even consistent. It changes every year.” Some programs achieve perfect outcomes. “In our workforce programs, they’re typically 100%, especially the health sciences. They get 100% placement because we work really closely with our healthcare partners.”

The secret lies in deep industry integration. Healthcare faculty often work simultaneously at partner hospitals, creating seamless connections between classroom and clinic. “Our faculty are also the employees of said healthcare systems,” Dr. Ovueraye explains. “It’s not just one healthcare system. We work with several in our community.”

Timing of workplace exposure varies by field but starts early. “For the healthcare, they get in by the second semester,” says Dr. Ovueraye. “The first semester, if you want to call it spot checking, they have an opportunity to visit. But they’re really in clinicals and rotations as they get more experience.” Education students begin even sooner. “Right from their very first class, they have 15 hours in the school system.”

Major employers actively recruit before students graduate. Universal Studios, AdventHealth, Orlando Health, HCA Healthcare, and Wharton Smith maintain ongoing relationships with the college. Construction company Wharton Smith, which committed $2 million to renovate the trades building, regularly hires graduates who sometimes work on campus projects while completing their degrees.

Comprehensive Student Support

Post-COVID anxiety among students demanded a new approach. Seminole State responded by establishing an Office of Holistic Student Support, recognizing that academic success requires more than just good instruction.

“We do have counsellors on staff, but they’re not for ongoing treatment,” Dr. Lorenz clarifies. “For ongoing treatment, we have contracts with partners in the community that can provide students either telehealth or in-person mental health support.” The campus food pantry operates with no questions asked, stocked with personal hygiene items alongside groceries.

Community partnerships bring resources directly to students. “Seminole County Legal Aid is here every Tuesday on our Sanford Lake Mary campus,” says Dr. Lorenz. “Rather than trying to replicate all of those services and resources for students, we establish strong partnerships with those who are already doing it in the community.”

Academic planning takes equal priority. The college developed detailed pathway maps showing every required course for both Seminole State and transfer destinations. “If they want to transfer to the University of Central Florida as a psychology major, in our platform they can see every course that they need to take here at Seminole State as well as what will be expected of them at UCF,” Dr. Lorenz explains. Through DirectConnect to UCF^®, graduates receive guaranteed admission to the university.

Personal connections distinguish the experience. “One of the distinguishing characteristics that students reflect back to us about Seminole State is that they feel that personal touch,” says Dr. Lorenz. “It’s a really strong community that they feel a part of.” Leadership development retreats run each semester. “Those are always oversubscribed. Students really appreciate the opportunity to get that development and to network with their peers.”

AI and Autonomous Vehicles

A striking statistic drives Seminole State’s newest program: “They gave us a statistic, something like there’s a thousand vehicles deployed and only four technicians, nationwide” Dr. Lorenz recounts. “Technicians literally have to fly from place to place to fix these vehicles.” The shortage gained urgency when HOLON announced plans for a 500,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Jacksonville, expected to produce 5,000 autonomous shuttles annually starting in 2026.

Seminole State partnered with Florida State College at Jacksonville to develop the nation’s first Autonomous Vehicle Technician program. “Between us and Florida State College at Jacksonville, we hope to initiate training for autonomous vehicle technicians that could even be replicated nationally,” says Dr. Lorenz. “I think this is going to happen.”

The partnership includes HOLON, manufacturer of the vehicles, and Beep, which operates autonomous shuttle services across Florida, and the city of Altamonte Springs where the service has launched. Students will train on actual equipment used in the field, preparing for careers in an industry that barely existed five years ago.

AI education takes a different approach. Rather than creating standalone programs, the college integrates artificial intelligence across disciplines. “We’re working on a certificate program called Artificial Intelligence Awareness with a course that will be focused on AI Across the Curriculum,” Dr. Ovueraye explains. “The healthcare team will look at all the different tools that impact healthcare that are AI influenced. The education faculty are doing something similar.”

Employer expectations shifted rapidly. “A couple of years ago, employers weren’t really expecting students to come in with AI exposure,” says Dr. Ovueraye. “I can tell you that today that is not the case. Employers want to see that their potential employees come in with at least a basic understanding.”

Flexibility for Today’s Learners

Shift workers don’t follow traditional semester schedules. Neither does Seminole State anymore. The college restructured its academic calendar to accommodate students juggling jobs, families, and education, a reality for most community college students nationwide.

“Students might have shift work, and this month their hours are different than they might be next month,” Dr. Lorenz explains. “If they’re stuck in a day-to-day on campus schedule, they might be forced to choose between the two, which we don’t want.” The solution: eight-week courses that once appeared only in summer now run year-round.

Online options have expanded dramatically, though hands-on programs maintain in-person requirements. For example, “our Criminal Justice Academy and Fire Academy do not have an online option. Of course, they have to be there,” says Dr. Lorenz. “But for other courses, there are a lot of online opportunities.”

The compressed format yields unexpected benefits. “A lot of life events can happen in 16 weeks,” says Dr. Lorenz. “If something does happen, they don’t have to wait potentially 12 weeks to restart the course. Maybe they only have to wait four weeks.” Internal data validates the approach. “Our own data show that we enjoy great student success in those courses.”

Lifelong learning shapes the broader vision. “Rather than going lock step through your higher education journey, you should be able to come in and out of higher education institutions as you need to acquire new skills,” Dr. Lorenz says. “I think the state colleges are ideally positioned to be that lifelong learning partner.”

Aspen Recognition and Bold Priorities

Recognition as an Aspen Prize finalist validates years of systematic improvement at Seminole State. “We’re so very proud to have been considered one of the finalists,” says Dr. Lorenz. “I think it’s a reflection of many, many years of hard work at this college.” The secret lies in striking the right balance. “What we’ve been able to do is really strike a balance between having systems and processes in place so that students can’t help but know what courses they need to take, but balancing those systems and processes with personalized guidance and support.”

Key partnerships underpin future growth. Duke Energy continues providing cutting-edge equipment for student training. Wharton Smith’s $2 million investment transforms the construction trades building. “They committed $2 million to the remodeling of our construction trades building and have just been such strong supporters,” Dr. Lorenz notes. “They hire a lot of our graduates.”

Healthcare expansion drives the next phase. “We’re seeking legislative appropriations to build a second instructional building at our Altamonte Springs campus to double our healthcare programs and just received $10 million from the State of Florida in the 2025 budget to bring us one step closer to construction,” says Dr. Lorenz. Space Coast initiatives promise new opportunities. “We just got a $2.8 million job growth grant from the state to look at ways we can specifically support the Space Coast.”

The learning never stops, even for leadership. “I’m just finishing up my seventh year as president, and I learn just as much every day as I did in the first year,” Dr. Lorenz reflects. “We’re always trying to innovate and do things better and more efficiently for our students.”

As Florida’s economy accelerates into aerospace, healthcare, and autonomous transportation, Seminole State is ready. The formula remains consistent: watch the data, move quickly, and never lose that personal touch.

AT A GLANCE

Who: Seminole State College of Florida

What: Public state college serving over 22,000 students with associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and workforce certificates and 2025 Aspen Prize finalist

Where: Central Florida

Website: www.seminolestate.edu