K-12 & Higher Education

A Community of Lifelong Learning

From preschool to graduate school, Tallahassee is home to some of the most dynamic educational opportunities in the state for learners of all ages.

CAREERSOURCE: CAPITAL REGION

CareerSource-Capital-Region_Full-Color-300x133CareerSource Capital Region connects employers with qualified, skilled talent, and Floridians with employment and career development opportunities to achieve economic prosperity in Gadsden, Leon, and Wakulla counties.  Services to job seekers include one-on-one career advising, interviewing and resume-writing assistance, employment workshops, labor market information, and access to a resource center equipped with computers, printers, fax machines, and copiers.  Services to employers include recruitment assistance, skills assessments for applicants, customized training, and information on tax incentives.  Employers and job seekers are matched through the Employ Florida Marketplace system.  All services are provided at no cost.

TCC DIVISION OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

TCCWFDTallahassee Community College’s Division of Workforce Development reaches out to the Big Bend community by offering customized courses and services to enhance employees’ careers, programs to improve business effectiveness, and support for returning adult learners.

Targeted workforce training is offered in fields including information technology, manufacturing, and business, as well as construction and trades.  To refine professional skills needed for in-demand jobs at local businesses, the Division of Workforce Development offers training in areas such as leadership, teamwork, and supervision.  The Center adapts to the evolving needs of the community, customizes offerings based on solid research, and produces programs that impact North Florida’s economy.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are nationally recognized measurements of non-credit education.  One CEU represents 10 contact hours of participation in a course.  CEUs may be used to meet license renewal requirements.  Please check with your licensing entity for details.

TCC ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TRAINING CENTER

TCCAMTCTCC’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Center (AMTC) provides area industry with a one-stop center focusing on customized training and development needs.

The AMTC at TCC recognizes the challenges facing companies in today’s manufacturing and industrial sector.  Florida’s Big Bend area is home to numerous world-class manufacturers and industries who live the ever increasing daily challenge of competing in the new global landscape.  At TCC, we understand the technology and tools necessary to compete in the “lean manufacturing” world.  We are aware of the many benefits in teaming and are committed to tailoring services to meet local industry needs.

An increasingly competitive worldwide environment faces all manufacturers and industries today.  Knowledge and flexibility are key.  This challenge creates the need to respond quickly to change, yet balance the collaborative relations between all business partners.

Your primary partner is your workforce.  Educating the existing and emerging workforces to be technically skilled as well as flexible to meet your demands builds a fundamentally strong team.  By partnering with resources in your own backyard, you can compete in the world-wide market.  The Division of Workforce Development Team is here to customize training to make your vision a reality.

LIVELY TECHNICAL COLLEGE

LTCWhether you’re a full-time student or working professional looking to advance your career, Lively Technical Center offers multiple certificate programs and continuing education.  With our hands-on approach to education, you will be sure to find your area of interest at Lively Technical Center.  Lively Technical Center provides continuing education options to enhance your job skills and personal life.  Whether in the classroom, online, or a combination of both, we offer quality programs for nearly every type of schedule; at convenient times and locations to fit your busy lifestyle.

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

FSU_Seal3Dgold_P_CMYK-300x300In 2013, the Florida Legislature and the Florida Board of Governors officially designated Florida State University (FSU) as one of two pre-eminent research universities in the state.

The university, which is world renowned for the quality of its faculty, academic programs, and focus on developing graduates who are innovators and leaders, is also rising in national rankings.  U.S. News & World Report named it 40th in the nation among public universities in the 2014 edition of “America’s Best Colleges”—a six-point jump from the previous year.

FSU is also known as the top STEM university in Florida, with five of its programs ranking first in nine fields of study identified by the National Science Foundation.  In addition, the institution is home to the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and championship athletics.

Composed of 16 individual colleges, the university provides more than 300 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree options to more than 41,000 students.

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY

FAMU_SEALFlorida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) is a comprehensive national research university with 14 colleges and schools and one institute.  FAMU offers 54 bachelor’s, 28 master’s, and 12 doctoral degree programs—which includes 11 Ph.D. alternatives.

The school is regionally and nationally recognized, being selected as one of The Princeton Review’s “2014 Best Colleges in the Southeast.”  It was also included on the Forbes list of top colleges in the United States, and The College Database (an online directory of U.S. colleges) highlighted FAMU for providing high-quality education at an affordable price.

The National Institutes of Health awarded FAMU a $13.7 million grant that will be used to support drug discovery and research on various degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, stroke, and cancer.  Equally important, the National Science Foundation awarded the school’s College of Science and Technology a $1.6 million grant to enhance undergraduate course curricula in STEM programs.

TALLAHASSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Tallahassee-Community-College-298x300Since 1966, Tallahassee Community College (TCC) has offered high-quality education for the citizens of Leon, Gadsden, and Wakulla counties.  TCC has an enrollment of 13,908 students and is currently ranked as the No. 1 national producer of AA degrees among 2-yr colleges in the nation (Community College Week).  It is also the No. 1 transfer school to FAMU and FSU.

With more than 80 associate’s degree and certificate programs, TCC offers hundreds of day and evening courses in traditional classrooms—as well as online, self-paced, and televised instruction.

At the college’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Center, new programs prepare students for careers in production, quality control, and printed circuit board surface mount technology.  Other recent additions to workforce training include certifications in website programming and human resources.

LEON COUNTY SCHOOLS

Leon-County-Schools-WebServing more than 33,000 students, Leon County Schools (LCS) has 48 different elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as special program centers for specific individuals — including those who are mentally handicapped, looking for career training, or are adults.

Truly a system of excellence, LCS has received an A rating by Florida School Grades for nine straight years, thanks to graduation rates and test scores that outrank the state average.

On a continuous quest to better serve its students, the district is making moves to incorporate 21st century-based teaching into its curriculum.

To address a growing need for students to have skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (subjects popularly known by the acronym STEM), Leon County Schools’ STEM program is preparing students for the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the future.  Because the demand for a STEM workforce requires that students think critically and solve complex problems, teachers work together to create learning environments that mimic the expectations of careers in related fields.

Academies for information technology at Griffin Middle School and Godby High School provide students with the opportunity to earn professional career certification in multiple software programs and systems.  Rickards High School also offers academies in engineering and allied health care, where students prepare for and earn certification in multiple health-related fields.

For younger students, Sealey Elementary School serves as a magnet school for full STEM integration across all grades and curricula.  Additionally, Cobb Middle School operates as a science and technology magnet school where students can benefit from accelerated coursework.

While learning in the classroom is a powerful tool, it is often hands-on experience that does the best teaching.  At the elementary, middle, and high school levels, students advance their knowledge in STEM areas through participation in competitive events in robotics, mathematics, information technology, engineering, astrophysics, and science research.

For those looking for internships, there are an abundance of possibilities in numerous STEM areas — particularly at Florida State University’s High Magnetic Field Laboratory.

PRIVATE EDUCATION

To complement the public school system, Tallahassee is home to an active homeschooling community as well as a number of award-winning private schools.

  • Ivy Hill Academy focuses specifically on early development, accepting children as young as 8 weeks old.  At this school, pre-K through first grade students can participate in a curriculum that includes math, reading, yoga, and private music lessons.
  • For 3-year-olds to 8th graders, Holy Comforter Episcopal School offers students a liberal arts and Christian education.  Upper-level students enjoy unique offerings such as Quest, gifted, and STEM programs, and a Dave Ramsey-based finance course.
  • Community Christian School emphasizes spiritual foundation, academics, and leadership for kindergarteners through 12th graders.  It offers extracurricular activities that range from digital media arts to basketball; honors, AP and college prep courses for high school students; and full- or half-day kindergarten classes.
  • Starting at the age of 3, young learners can attend the Maclay School, which is a nonsectarian college prep school that emphasizes academics, fine arts, and athletics.  It offers honor societies, service clubs, and special interest organizations for everything from academic quiz bowls to chess.

Once students have secured a diploma, they can embark on their higher learning pathway at these exceptional institutions.