PANAMA CITY, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis introduced greater than $13 million in awards Tuesday via the Florida Job Development Grant Fund to help infrastructure initiatives within the Florida Panhandle, focusing on aerospace, aviation and maritime industries whereas boosting workforce housing and job creation.
The funding, totaling greater than $13 million, will go to 3 entities: the Panama Metropolis – Bay County Airport and Industrial District, the Metropolis of Port St. Joe and the Gulf County Board of County Commissioners.
The Panama Metropolis-Bay County Airport and Industrial District will obtain $5 million to assemble an plane engine restore station and an engine testing facility at Northwest Florida Seashores Worldwide Airport. The 160,000-square-foot facility consists of 120,000 sq. ft devoted to engine restore, with the remaining 40,000 for testing operations. The undertaking is projected to create as much as 400 new technician jobs in Bay County.
The Metropolis of Port St. Joe will obtain $2,250,709 for a two-phase street undertaking to facilitate the development of 177 workforce houses. The work consists of resurfacing an current street, constructing a brand new 1,380-linear-foot connector street and reinforcing underground utilities to face up to potential hurricane-force winds. The initiative is anticipated to carry 190 jobs to the neighborhood.
The Gulf County Board of County Commissioners will obtain $6 million to help the development of a self-docking float dry dock at a shipyard via the set up of mooring dolphins. The undertaking will retain 125 current jobs at Japanese Shipbuilding and create a further 337 positions.
“At this time, I introduced the newest spherical of Job Development Grant Fund awards to help crucial infrastructure and workforce housing within the Panhandle,” DeSantis stated in an announcement. “These initiatives will create a whole lot of excellent jobs and appeal to investments to assist Panama Metropolis, Port St. Joe, and Gulf County prosper. Since 2019, the Florida Job Development Grant Fund has facilitated the creation of greater than 42,000 new jobs and 32,000 workforce training alternatives all through our state. Because of strategic investments like these, Florida is now the primary state within the nation for workforce training–5 years forward of the objective we had set in 2019.”
Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly added that the investments replicate DeSantis’ dedication to strengthening communities.
“These investments are a direct reflection of Governor DeSantis’ dedication to strengthening Florida’s communities via crucial infrastructure enhancements that gas financial alternative,” Kelly stated. “These investments will put Bay County, Gulf County and the Metropolis of Port St. Joe in a greater place to draw new job creators to the world whereas supporting job seekers in Florida’s nice northwest.”
The Florida Job Development Grant Fund, an financial improvement program administered via FloridaCommerce, promotes public infrastructure and workforce coaching statewide. Proposals are reviewed by FloridaCommerce, with last alternatives made by the governor based mostly on neighborhood wants. Since 2019, the fund has awarded greater than $318 million, resulting in over 42,000 new jobs and greater than 32,000 workforce training alternatives.
