By the Numbers

The number of new Associate in Science in Nursing students in fall 2020, the largest class on record (average size is 30-40 students).

The number of applicants for the Fall 2020 semester, a record high at CFK.

$21,179,669

The total amount of grant awards from 11 funding agencies during the 2019-20 fiscal year. Awards include $16 million to construct the new Upper Keys Center, over $3 million to expand programs in the Middle and Upper Keys, and over $1 million to improve students’ perception of STEM education and careers.

The number of recent major renovation projects on the Key West Campus. A lab in the B-building was converted to three classrooms and two areas in the Tennessee Williams Fine Arts Center were repurposed to respectively house the Institute for Public Safety and the Student Activities Office. THE YEAR THE COLLEGE OPENED.

The approximate number of fish bred in the CFK Aquaculture Lab. A large majority of which have been distributed to six academic institutions in four different states, while some find homes as pets in the Keys.

THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF CARES ACT FUNDS GIVEN TO CFK FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF INCOME DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND NEED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR LIVING EXPENSES.

THE NUMBER OF STUDENT CLUBS, WHICH AIM TO CULTIVATE LEADERSHIP, SERVICE, AND CAREER INTERESTS AS WELL AS FUN.

The square footage of the College’s new Upper Keys Center, which is under construction in Key Largo.

Building Careers

Just two years ago, Donald Chavez Moreno was piping frosting on cakes as a baker at Publix. Today, he is piping conduit (among other duties) as an Electrician’s Apprentice for Check Electric, LLC during the day and studying the trade at The College of the Florida Keys in the evenings.

While Donald enjoyed his work as a baker, he felt unfulfilled professionally and financially. He was long interested in figuring out how things worked and had a knack for hands-on projects. More importantly though, he wanted a career that would financially provide for the future of his growing family. Donald, a Key West High School graduate, and his wife, Adinay, had just welcomed a baby boy, Adrien (now 1), joining their older son, Aidan (now 4).

A friend of Donald’s, who is a Master Electrician, suggested the electrical trade as a smart career move and encouraged him to enter CFK’s Electrical Apprenticeship program. Classes would be free, and he would earn a paycheck (with built-in raises) while gaining real-world experience. Donald was convinced by the “earn while you learn” model and enrolled in CFK’s Construction Technologies Apprenticeship program.

Donald was placed with Check Electric in Key West, under the tutelage of veteran electrician Ron Leonard. Leonard is also the chair of the College’s Apprenticeship Advisory Committee and an instructor.

“Donald sets an example for his classmates as well as his colleagues who have been in the business for years. No matter what task he’s given, you can be sure it’s done right, it’s done neatly, and it’s done safely,” said Leonard.

In turn, Donald credits his classes for helping him excel on the job. “Mr. Leonard teaches the code book really well. I actually understand what I am doing and why when I go to work each day because of what we do and discuss in class.”

Learning concepts in class while developing practical skills on the job is just as important to the businesses that sponsor apprentices as it is to the apprentices themselves. “In a field where inexperience could cost a business its reputation or worse, serious injury, it’s more attractive for a company to hire and train a new employee who is also studying concepts and safety in a class setting,” said Leonard.

In addition to electricians, CFK trains plumbers, carpenters, and HVAC technicians. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, professionals in these fields earn approximately $48,000 to $56,000 annually, on average, and job growth is expected. Meanwhile, in the Keys and across the nation, contractors struggle to hire and retain enough workers to keep up with demand.

The need to grow the local construction workforce was exacerbated by Hurricane Irma in 2017. Residences and businesses throughout the Keys required repair and re-building, but local contractors were hard-pressed to find enough employees with the necessary skills to get the job done. Quick to respond to community needs, the College collaborated with local government and local contractors as well as Florida’s Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor to develop training programs.

Initially, the College launched its Construction Technologies Apprenticeships in Key West in 2018. And with a $2,553,653 boost from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s (DEO) Rebuild Florida Workforce Recovery Training Program, CFK is extending the opportunities to the middle and upper Keys in 2021.

“Employees are hard to come by in our specific field,” said Mary Roth, Office Manager of Rex Air, a local air conditioning service company in Islamorada. “It seems like more kids are going for traditional college degrees and not seeing that they can make good money and have solid careers in a trade.”

An early advocate for the College’s Apprenticeship programs, Roth coordinated the effort for Rex Air to sponsor several HVAC apprentices who will start this January. Notably, among the first class of upper Keys apprentices will be her son, Payton, a senior at Coral Shores High School. Payton’s summertime job at Rex Air sparked his interest in HVAC. He will begin taking classes in the evenings in January and add the on-the-job-training component after he graduates from high school.

Upon successful program completion, an apprentice earns the title of “journey worker,” a four-level certification by the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), as well as a nationally-recognized Completion of Apprenticeship certificate by the State of Florida.

Unlike most graduates who embark on a job search after graduation, apprentices are already years into a career, have a robust resume, and have earned raises by the time they receive their diploma. They are well poised to advance to management positions or continue training to start their own practice.

For Donald, his apprenticeship experience thus far has motivated him to set his sights on ultimately becoming a Master Electrician. And he is looking forward to the challenge with confidence, saying “Once you are doing what you love, you can get there.”

Electrical apprentice Donald Chavez Moreno (left) checks an electrical panel with guidance from Ron Leonard (right), CFK instructor and Check Electric supervisor.