On a perfect blue-skied morning, dignitaries and representatives from three local public institutions gathered at the Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport to formally launch a joint project to build a technical training complex in Hernando County.

On September 29, Hernando School Board Chairwoman Linda Prescott, Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) Board of Trustees Chairwoman Marilyn Pearson- Adams, and Hernando County Commission Chairman John Allocco signed the Memo of Understanding (MOU) in front of elected officials and supporters of the project.

Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson, a long-time champion of the school district’s effort to bring a dedicated technical college to Hernando, was instrumental in securing the $9.3 million appropriations to build the school. Simpson was joined by U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, members of the Hernando School Board, School Superintendent John Stratton, Hernando County Commissioners, PHSC President Dr. Timothy Beard and members of the college’s Board of Trustees, as well as local community business leaders to witness the signing.

The signing of the MOU is a meaningful step toward uniting around the urgency of addressing changing indicators in local economic development. By supporting a workforce in need of trained and highly-skilled workers through additional vocational and technical education options, more adults will have access to lucrative jobs in high-demand occupations.

“Today shows that when we put individual interests aside and focus on the needs of the community, we end up serving the greater good,” said Sophia Watson, Director of Adult & Technical Education for Hernando Schools.

“This is an important milestone,” said John Stratton, Hernando School Superintendent. “We all share in the vision to bring affordable, real-world, career education in a facility that can grow and adjust to the diverse workforce needs of business, manufacturing, and tech sectors. This has always been a great idea and now, with full community-wide endorsement, it’s time to build something wonderful for Hernando and we are proud to be part of it.”

Construction on the school district’s technical college is slated to begin in the spring of 2022.