Who WE ARE
Explore Florida's Technical Colleges
ABOUT OUR TECHNICAL COLLEGES
- 48 public institutions: 44 Technical Colleges and 4 Technical Centers.
- All 48 institutions are accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE) and approved by the USDOE.
- Focused instruction means many certificates can be earned in a year or less.
- A powerful network of industry partners who hire our graduates and provide state of the art training resources.
- Focused on student success – Job Placement and Industry Credentials.
- Local School Board operated in 31 Counties throughout Florida.
- Low tuition minimizes student cost.
- Financial Aid available in many programs for those who qualify (check with your counselor for details).
- You may be awarded college credits towards and Associates in Science degree at one of Florida’s Community or State Colleges (check with your counselor for details).
Each of the Technical Colleges are nationally accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE). In addition, many colleges are also accredited by Cognia (Formerly AdvanED) and other program specific accrediting bodies, including, but not limited to the following: American Culinary Federation, Education Foundation, Florida State Board of Nursing, National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation, American Welding Society, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
OUR VISION
Our vision is to ensure that Florida has the skilled workforce to be globally competitive.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to be the premier provider of high quality, affordable career and technical training meeting the changing needs of Florida’s workforce.
HOW WE ACHIEVE OUR MISSION
• Serving our communities as Technical Colleges.
• Preparing students for industry certifications and licensures to ensure success in high wage/high skill careers.
• Awarding Career Certificates and articulated College Credit.
• Remaining market driven.
• Responding quickly to business and industry needs.
• Focusing on results – Job Placement and Industry Credentials.
• Providing solutions for improving and growing a skilled Florida Workforce.
Presidents Message
This site serves as a central clearinghouse for all information relating to what we believe is Florida’s most critical workforce development component; the 49 Institutions making up the Florida Public Technical College System. , who have built a reputation for preparing the finest workforce to meet the needs of business and industry.
Whether you’re a future student, a company interested in partnering with us, a legislator, or another important stakeholder, you have found the right link. This site will describe who we are, what we do, and how we do it. There are links to each of the schools which make up our system, useful information about our programs, and testimonials from students and employers, describing in their own words, their experience with us.
It’s our priority to make a difference in the future of our students. Whether you’re a student who’s right out of high school, a student looking to change careers completely, or a student who is set to attend a state college or university, a Florida Public Technical College is the right place to start your career pathway. When it comes to helping people find their career passions or add new skills to their resume, we are ready to help Florida get to work.
Many recent workforce and labor studies indicate that two out of three jobs created between now and 2030 will require education and training beyond a high school diploma, but not necessarily a four-year college degree. Technical Colleges play a vital role in developing a well-educated workforce that supports productivity and innovation through its emphasis on career and college readiness, including academic, technical and employability skills; its partnerships with industry; and its focus on postsecondary attainment of industry certifications.
I encourage you to contact or visit one of the forty-nine campuses in Florida to learn more about how Career and Technical Education can help you meet your educational needs and change your future.
Again, thank you for visiting our website. We look forward to serving you soon!
Martha Compton,
President, FLCTE, Postsecondary Division
Council on Occupational Education, COE:
COE provides accreditation services to postsecondary occupational education institutions on an international scale. Through its accreditation process, the Council seeks to stimulate the following:
- validation of job skills;
- certification of skills for local, state, regional, and national application;
- portability of skill credentials;
- placement of graduates in jobs related to preparation received;
- facilitation of partnerships and consortia through which the United States can continue to compete successfully in the global economy; and
- linkages among employers, policymakers, business and industry, labor, and other parties with vital interests in technical education.
COE strives through its accreditation process to ensure that the standards, policies and procedures developed advance quality, creativity, cooperation and performance
Operational Principles:
Our program structure is competency-based, often self-paced, and contextualized. It is designed to prepare students for licensures, industry certifications, and work. This educational model represented by the Technical Colleges contrasts sharply with how conventional postsecondary education in Florida is organized. Our model produces very different results, particularly in terms of the rates of student success in completing their programs. The four (4) guiding principles that drive our mission are:
- Market driven
- Responsive to business and industry needs
- Cost effective to both the student and the state (taxpayer)
- Focused on results – job placement and industry credentials
