Premier Innovations Career & Technical Education Center Cuts Ribbon On Future Site

By  //  August 1, 2015

Paulette Coombs, The Premier Innovations Career & Technical Education Center cuts the ribbon  during a ceremony on Thursday at the Knowledge Exchange Auditorium, located at 5151 Babcock Street in Palm Bay to celebrate the future site of the career and technical education center. (SpaceCoastDaily.com image)
Paulette Coombs, Executive Director and Founder of Premier Innovations Career & Technical Education Center, cuts the ribbon during a ceremony on Thursday at the Knowledge Exchange Auditorium to celebrate the future site of the career and technical education center. (SpaceCoastDaily.com image)

BREVARD COUNTY • PALM BAY, FLORIDA – The Premier Innovations Career & Technical Education Center hosted a Ribbon Cutting ceremony on Thursday at the Knowledge Exchange Auditorium in Palm Bay to celebrate the future site of the career and technical education center.

Premier Innovations Career & Technical Education Center will be a tuition free, charter high school offering students between the ages of 14 and 24 a rigorous, comprehensive academic and vocational program that will equip them with the knowledge and skills to graduate with a diploma and industry-related certification in a field of their choice.

Premier Innovations is in the process of applying for charter school status with the Brevard Public School Board, and its leadership group has been planning this innovative school for three years.

“We are very thankful for our terrific leadership team who have brought us this far,” said Paulette Coombs, Executive Director and Founder of Premier Innovations.

“We have an amazing group of people who are making this school possible and we thank them for all they have done.”

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Congressman Bill Posey sent a special proclamation for Premier Innovations presented by Rob Medina, at left. “We are very thankful for our terrific leadership team who have brought us this far,” said Paulette Coombs, Executive Director and Founder of Premier Innovations, above with board members and dignitaries during the ribbon-cutting. (SpaceCoastDaily.com image)

Joseph Kroto, also a member of the leadership team, spoke about the importance of what the school will offer it’s students.

Joe Kroto
Joe Kroto

“This type of program is an essential alternative for students who are more suited to a technical hands-on training in conjunction with the traditional educational curriculum,” said Kroto.

Premier Innovations will offer a unique educational program that has never been offered in Brevard County.

All its students will be enrolled in a dual education path – diploma and career certification. Students will graduate with a high school diploma and a nationally recognized certification in their chosen career path.

ABOVE VIDEO: Rob Medina presents Premier Innovations a message from Congressman Bill Posey.

David Beavers, manager of the Florida Tech Electronics Laboratory, spoke about how the students of Premier Innovations will be able to choose options that suit them and will afford them an opportunity to have hands on practical training.

“This will be an excellent path to their career of choice,” said Beavers.

Shagufta Wilson of thePremier Innovations leadership team introduced guest speaker Howard Drake of Polk State College, who was there to support of the plan.

“There are 60,000 manufacturing jobs that cannot find skilled applicants,” said Wilson.

“This cutting edge educational and training program will provide its students with an entry into industry and a national certification. Soon everybody will be doing this.”

Board member Don Bogard spoke passionately about what teaching has meant to him, and how the Premier Innovations educational model would help local students.

“This is a very exciting time for our community as we introduce this wonderful training and education model.”

ABOVE VIDEO: Premier Innovations Career Program is a response to the demand by government and business leaders that high school graduates be prepared both to enter the workforce and/or higher education immediately upon graduation.

Premier Innovations anticipates a charter approval by October, 2015 from the Brevard County School Board and will begin its planning year in October, to officially open its doors to a projected 250 students for the 2016- 2017 school year.

The school’s initial focus areas will be manufacturing, automotive, construction technologies, health services and computer technology. These represent a cluster of courses, and students will chose from four to five courses under each cluster.

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Thus, a manufacturing technology student may choose to pursue national certification as a Certified Production Technician from the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council. Other courses will be added with guidance from employers, Brevard Workforce, the Economic Development Commission and students.

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A rigorous academic program using a blended approach – that is, in a regular classroom with a teacher and 24-hour online access – will be implemented to cater for a mixed group of learners; the low performers, the student performing at grade level and the college-bound student. All students will be placed on a career path upon admission.

Students will work towards obtaining one or more of the following:

• Registered apprenticeship certificates
• Occupational licenses (those that are typically awarded by state government agencies)
• Personnel certifications from industry or professional associations
• Other skill certificates for specific skill sets or competencies within one or more industries or occupations (electrical, mechanical, computer, robotics and automation skills sets.)

For more information log on to pcglearningcenter.org