fcs month

FLORIDA COLLEGE SYSTEM month

Recap of FLORIDA COLLEGE SYSTEM MONTH

By DCAE STAF

In April, we celebrated Florida College System (FCS) Month. Florida’s 28 FCS institutions are the primary access points to higher education in our state, providing affordable, accessible and high-quality postsecondary education opportunities for all eligible students. Florida’s higher education system has ranked #1 in the nation for the past five consecutive years, according to U.S. News and World Report, and the distinction is significantly due to the success of the FCS. State and community colleges are often students’ first choice for higher education opportunities, with enrollment exceeding 640,000 students during the 2020-21 school year and FCS institutions conferring over 119,000 degrees and certificates during the period. In addition, over 40 percent of upper-division state university students were once enrolled in an FCS school.

The FCS also supports students with differing backgrounds and career goals. Last year, the statewide network of FCS institutions welcomed nearly 78,000 active-duty military personnel, veterans and reservists, as well as their spouses and dependents. Another 78,500 dual-enrollment high school students were able to earn college credit at an FCS school, collectively saving millions of dollars on tuition and books, and 62 percent of all enrollees were minorities.

Since 2019, more than 37,900 students have earned rapid workforce credentials and more than 17,400 allied health care programs have been completed. Additionally, more than 88 percent of all FCS graduates go on to contribute to local businesses within one year of graduation, according to the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program. FCS institutions are modernizing to adapt to current and future workforce needs by expanding opportunities for students in technologies such as 3D printing, drones, financial technology, cybersecurity and autonomous vehicles. Throughout the month of April, the Florida Department of Education highlighted on social media popular programs at FCS institutions across the state. Connect with the Florida Department of Education and the Florida College System on Twitter.

For more information regarding the FCS, reach out to Bonita Hampton at Bonita.Hampton@fldoe.org.

Phil Berlingo, program coordinator and an instructor, coaches student Reese Hayes in Palm Beach State College’s 911 simulation lab.