Governor DeSantis, local leaders tout Florida’s gains in career and technical education

TITUSVILLE, Fla. — Governor DeSantis on Tuesday used a visit to Titusville High School to spotlight Florida’s expansion of career and technical education and to credit state investments for increased apprenticeship and credentialing opportunities for students.

"There is more than one way you can succeed," the governor said, arguing that vocational training and skills-based education offer direct pathways into well‑paying jobs without burdensome debt. He said the state set an executive‑order goal in 2019 to be No. 1 in workforce education by 2030 and that Florida reached that benchmark ahead of schedule.

Why it matters: State leaders said the focus on CTE aims to align high school and postsecondary programs with employer needs on the Space Coast and statewide, reducing training costs for businesses and creating direct pipelines to jobs in aerospace, manufacturing, health care and other fields.

Officials cited several metrics during the event. Commissioner of Education Stasi Kamutsis and the governor reported more than 818,000 K‑12 CTE participants and nearly 512,000 postsecondary CTE students; they said Florida had awarded more than 524,000 rapid workforce credentials since the administration began. The governor also cited a $12,000,000,000 commitment to workforce education since 2019 and a $240,000,000 workforce development capitalization grant that has supported hundreds of programs, while apprenticeship and pre‑apprenticeship participation was described as about 25,000 active participants statewide.

"Students in this program are equipped with in‑demand skills in robotics, automation, fabrication and systems technology," Commissioner Kamutsis said, noting local industry partners and that the room being used for the event was funded by a workforce development grant.

Titusville High School Principal Jennifer Gonzalez described 10 local CTE programs — including cybersecurity, culinary arts, automotive, patient care, TV production, digital design and space mechatronics — and said students graduate with industry credentials and hands‑on experience. Gonzalez cited partnerships with Lockheed Martin and Parrish Medical Center and noted a recent donation of a new truck for the automotive program.

Congressman Mike Herodopoulos, who also spoke at the event, said federal and state cooperation helped secure roughly $2,000,000 for a similar program at Space Coast High School.

Officials emphasized outcomes over spending alone, with the governor criticizing some university expenditures and arguing that Florida’s lower in‑state tuition and workforce investments give residents practical options for success.

The event concluded with leaders thanking teachers, students and local partners; officials said the state plans to continue funding CTE and apprenticeship expansions.

The governor and education officials did not provide independent third‑party verification for every metric cited at the event; officials attributed figures to state program counts and grant records presented at the event.