U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling visited Florida Polytechnic University on Wednesday, Oct. 7, to lead a roundtable discussion on preparing students for high-demand careers and meeting employers’ evolving workforce needs.
The visit marked the first time Florida Poly hosted a sitting U.S. secretary of labor.
Sonderling toured the iconic campus with Dr. Devin Stephenson, Florida Poly’s president, getting an up-close look at the University’s technology and hands-on learning opportunities. The tour included an award-winning student-built solar racecar, the student-powered Security Operations Center and the University’s new esports arena.
“It is an incredible honor to welcome Secretary Sonderling to Florida Poly and show him how we are preparing our students for successful careers in emerging fields,” Stephenson said. “His visit underscores the vital role Florida Poly plays in driving economic development in our state. Our graduates bring the engineering expertise and technical skills employers need to solve pressing challenges, expand their capabilities and compete in a rapidly changing economy.”
Joining Sonderling and Stephenson for the event were federal and state leaders, including U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin, Florida Sen. Colleen Burton and Florida Reps. Jon Albert, Jennifer Kincart Jonsson, Jennifer Canady and Hilary Holley. Florida Commissioner of Education Dr. Henry Mack and State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues also participated.
“We thank U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling for visiting Florida Polytechnic University to witness firsthand the strong connection between higher education and workforce development in Florida,” Rodrigues said. “As the State University System’s only institution dedicated exclusively to STEM education, Florida Poly is uniquely positioned to meet Florida’s workforce needs and demonstrate how the system is preparing the high-demand talent driving economic growth across the state.”
Florida Poly is the state’s only public university exclusively dedicated to STEM education. U.S. News & World Report has named the University the No. 1 public college in the South for six consecutive years and ranked it No. 16 nationally among public engineering programs without a Ph.D.
The roundtable discussion explored how Florida Poly can build on that foundation to prepare students for the changing demands of industry.
“The conversations we had today give us a clear window into how industry is evolving,” Stephenson said. “As technology redefines every major field, our focus at Florida Poly remains on aligning education with business and industry demands and equipping our students with the tools, agility and expertise they’ll need to thrive in the workforce and lead the technological advances of tomorrow.”
Contact:
Lydia Guzmán
Director of Communications
863-874-8557
