Employ Florida Banner Centers

Helping to address Florida’s shortage of skilled workers in power generation and distribution is the aim of the Employ Florida Banner Center for Energy based at Lake-Sumter Community College’s Sumter campus in Central Florida. The college has joined with Indian River Community College in Fort Pierce to launch the program with a $500,000 grant from Workforce Florida, Inc.

The Banner Center for Energy builds on Lake-Sumter Community College’s already successful Electric Utility Institute, which trains electric utility workers in Central Florida. Through the Banner Center, Lake-Sumter Community College courses such as one that trains workers in using rubber protective equipment while installing, maintaining and repairing power lines, will be available statewide to update line technicians’ skills. The Banner Center also plans to recruit its first class of 20 people interested in becoming line technicians and it will help these entry-level workers find jobs in Florida. Under this initiative, Lake-Sumter Community College is slated to begin training incumbent workers and prospective new hires in the industry in April. The average annual wage for electrical power line installers and repairers in Florida in 2006 was $48,623 — compared to the average annual state wage of $36,804, according to Labor Market Statistics in the Agency for Workforce Innovation.

Additionally, Indian River Community College will take the lead on offering training and developing new curricula for entry-level and experienced power plant workers. It will do so by expanding the reach of its Power Plant Technology Institute. In-demand jobs in the area of power generation include power plant operators and maintenance mechanics. The average annual wage for Florida power plant workers in 2006 was $56,347.

Industry representation on the Advisory Council includes executives from Florida Electric Cooperative Association, Florida Municipal Electric Association, Florida Power & Light Company, Gulf Power Company, Progress Energy, Sumter Electric Cooperative (SECO) and TECO Energy.

Key Program Contact: Mary Jo Rager, (352) 465-3550, ragermj@lscc.edu

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An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this web site may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.