Big Bend Technical College outlines hurricane recovery, new aluminum welding and $5M advanced manufacturing plan
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Summary
Shelby McCall, interim director of Big Bend Technical College, told the committee state grants and partnerships are funding new aluminum welding cohorts, apprenticeship partnerships and a $5 million job growth grant to create an advanced manufacturing facility to replace lost local industry capacity after hurricanes and mill closures.
Shelby McCall, interim director of Big Bend Technical College in Taylor County, described how state workforce grants and local partnerships are supporting program expansion and economic recovery after two hurricanes and local mill closures.
“Today, I'm gonna share a story of optimism and a story of opportunity,” McCall said, describing rapid program development to meet employer needs in the Big Bend region. She said BBTC has a 95% placement rate and offers multiple dual‑enrollment programs across neighboring counties.
McCall described a 360‑hour aluminum welding and fabrication program that awards American Welding Society (AWS) certification; the program is beginning its fourth cohort and has an apprenticeship partnership with Lippert. She said instructors have rapidly advanced credentialing and that industry partners including American Aluminum and Lippert helped develop the program framework.
To address large‑scale workforce needs, McCall said BBTC secured a $5,000,000 job growth grant from Florida Commerce to establish a 10,000‑square‑foot advanced manufacturing facility. She said $3,400,000 of the facility funding comes from workforce capitalization funding and that the new center will house training in welding, maintenance, robotics, CNC, commercial sewing, basic electricity and automation.
McCall outlined equipment planned for the facility—portable PLC training systems, multiprocess welders, hydraulic power supplies, smart factory wireless communication systems—and said the college is coordinating with local defense contractors (NAMA) and national partners through programs such as Operation Next (powered by Lyft) to align training to employer requirements.
She asked the committee to note BBTC's role in retraining displaced workers and stressed the college's partnership model: “When we have these discussions... we work closely with organizations like the Florida Defense Workforce Education Coalition and local employers to ensure that we are offering what they need to excel and to expand in our region.”