BJ Van Camp was newly selected as Lively Technical College’s Director in July of 2023. In this past year, it has been BJ’s focus to move the Lively’s mission forward. “Our purpose is to provide career-oriented education for the community; it is our passion to serve our local community and surrounding counties.” BJ’s purpose and passion as Lively Tech’s Director is to foster the synergistic relationship Lively Technical College has with the business and industry sector in our community by promoting technical and trades education through the Lively Experience!
There has been a revival around Career and Technical Education in recent years due in large part to the fact that people are looking for an alternative to a traditional post-secondary experience. BJ Van Camp, as Director, has worked diligently to reframe student and public perception in order to entice more students to enroll at Lively in order to meet our local community job demand.
Lively Technical College embodies the statement Higher Learning, Higher Earning! She is continuing to add programs to the already robust offerings available at Lively. These offerings provide a wide spectrum of workforce programs that range from cosmetology to construction. BJ is additionally forging partnerships that include Florida State University Aerospace Dynamics, Florida’s Department of Transportation, TRAACA, HCA and relationships with all of our local high schools.
BJ, still new in her tenure as Director of Lively Technical College, is routinely asked to speak to various advisory boards and task forces about workforce development and the educational/training response to the local workforce demand. She is working diligently to convey that Lively is fundamental to our community’s workforce by preparing students to fill essential jobs. Furthermore, a technical college like Lively Technical College is a criteria that business and industry need when deciding to locate in Tallahassee.
BJ earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Florida State University. BJ’s career path in Leon County Schools has given her experience at all levels in the school system, from elementary to post-secondary now. This gives her a unique perspective on how to address the needs in our educational ecosystem. As a strong instructional leader, BJ Van Camp is recognized for her work in curriculum development, differentiated instruction and change leadership.
BJ’s energy carries her from work to home where she is a busy wife, mom of two adolescent boys and caregiver for her elderly grandmother. She looks forward to continuing to create positive change in our community by promoting career and technical education pathways in our school system. Since moving here over 20 years ago, she has grown to appreciate the small-town feel with the big-city amenities that Tallahassee offers. College football season continues to be her favorite season of the year, and she loves working, living and raising her family in Tallahassee!
