EATONVILLE, Fla. — There will soon be a new education and career opportunity for students in Eatonville.
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Orange Technical College Eatonville branch is now the seventh OTC campus in the county.
Orange County Public Schools invested $5.5 million to renovate a building as well as build a new welding lab on the campus.
“We wanted to be in an area for the community,” Rosa Grant, the Executive Leader for Orange Technical College, said. “We wanted to make sure the community has options.”
It’s a career and technical education option that the community and beyond can take advantage of.
The campus offers electrical, welding, and plumbing apprenticeships. As well as paraprofessional and GED prep courses.
“We want to help change lives,” Grant said. “That’s how we see it in CTE; we change lives through education.”
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As the town continues pushing to keep its legacy alive, Mayor Angie Gardner said hiring CTE workers will be so important to building a museum, affordable housing, and rebuilding the town’s pipe system.
“Now you have the opportunity in the town to get all the skills you need right now before those projects begin,” Gardner said.
At Friday’s ribbon cutting, choir students from Hungerford Elementary, which sits right next to the Orange Tech campus, were able to see the direct access this campus can offer them.
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Gardner said no matter where the students are from or where they plan on going; there is no excuse not to take advantage of it.
“Education is the key to anything,” Gardner said. “Without knowledge, your doors will close.”
Some apprenticeship classes have already started at OTC Eatonville. All classes and programs are expected to be in full swing starting in the fall.
More information on the Orange Technical College Eatonville campus can be found here.
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