Florida ranks no. 1 in workforce education, DeSantis says

Florida is ranked #1 in Workforce Education

Press Conference | Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that Florida is ranked first in workforce education, a goal they set out to meet in 2030. Now, the state has met that goal five years ahead of schedule, Gov. Ron DeSantis said.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday announced that Florida ranks first in the nation for workforce education, saying the state met a goal outlined in Executive Order 19-31 five years ahead of its 2030 target.

The announcement, made during Career and Technical Education Month at an event in Titusville, highlights more than $12 billion in state investments in workforce and career education programs during DeSantis’ administration.

What they're saying:

State officials said the milestone reflects expanded career and technical education pathways and industry-driven training programs.

"Florida has built an education system that delivers outcomes, opens doors to high-wage careers, and strengthens our state’s long-term prosperity," DeSantis said in a statement. "Florida is now the number one state in the country for workforce education — years ahead of the 2030 target I set in my Executive Order."

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Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas credited the ranking to expanded workforce pathways and strategic investments in career programs.

State data shows that during the 2024-25 academic year, more than 818,000 K-12 students and nearly 512,000 postsecondary students were enrolled in career and technical education programs, a 30% increase since 2018-19. Adult education programs serve more than 189,000 people statewide.

Officials said Florida has expanded Integrated Education and Training programs to 582 statewide since 2021, serving more than 11,000 students. 

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The state also reported 25,000 active apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship participants, an 11% increase from the previous year, along with growth in newly registered apprenticeship programs.

Since its creation, the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program has distributed $240 million to support 80 agencies and more than 800 new or expanded programs. The Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant has awarded more than $105 million to expand apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities, serving more than 20,000 participants, according to the governor’s office.