County Sending $300K To New LSSC Construction Program

    The Lake County Commission on Tuesday agreed to help kickstart a new workforce program at Lake Sumter State College. The county will earmark $300,000 from its American Rescue Plan Act federal funding program to the creation of a Construction Management Associate in Science degree at the college.
   The program is expected to begin in the spring of 2024, and eventually grow to house 250 students looking for a career in the construction field.
   The college is hoping to help fill the shortfall in construction labor, with LSSC President Dr. Heather Bigard citing the county's fast growth and new housing needs as a key reason for the creation of the program.
   “We have a deficiency,” she said while addressing the commission on Tuesday.
   Bigard said the expectation is for the program to be self-sufficient once the costs of startup are covered.
   County documents indicate LSSC anticipates an annual operating cost of $100,000 per year for the first three years of the program, with expenses including staffing a program director, adjunct professors, classroom space, and needed equipment.
   The Construction Management Associate in Science degree will feature two years of training, and will allow students to move more directly into the workforce as construction managers. Students will learn about building science, project management, and professional practices. They will be able to earn industry credentials while enrolled, and also take advantage of career pathway programs.