Lyndsay Fogarty
It’s difficult enough to juggle professional and personal responsibilities. Adding academics to the mix can seem nearly impossible, especially for adults looking to go back to school. However, one private, Florida-based institution is changing the game for them.
Florida Technical College meets students where they’re at by providing various learning environments outside of the traditional classroom setting. This provides greater flexibility for students who are parents or caretakers. The ability to determine when and where they do their school work allows them to work around a part-time or full-time job.
“Where we’re different is that we’re trying to adapt to the ways that people want to learn and can learn because it’s a very busy society,” FTC President Dr. James Michael Burkett says. “We’ve adjusted the way that we deliver content.”
Students can choose between five learning formats.
1. Online: All courses are completed through Canvas, an online learning system that stores textbooks, lectures, assignments and other class materials.
2. Hybrid: Some courses are fully online while others are fully in the classroom. The choice is up to the student and what works best for their schedule.
3. Blended: The combination of on-ground and online instruction provides students with the best of both worlds. They can complete interactive assignments online and go to campus for practice labs, with all educational elements supported by the same instructor. The blended model retains components of face-to-face learning, which is important for programs that require hands-on interaction that can’t be provided through the virtual environment.
4. In-Person: All courses are completed in the classroom. Trade programs such as HVAC, electrical and welding are options in this model.
5. Spanish: Six programs are taught fully in Spanish, including culinary arts.
Florida Technical College is an academic unit of National University College (NUC), which is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). NUC’s Florida Technical College is included in this accreditation. MSCHE is a regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The school’s operations are held to very high standards.
Florida Technical College students seek specific knowledge so they can earn a degree that leads to a career. Through a focused learning approach that teaches one subject area at a time for a period of four weeks each, students can earn a bachelor’s degree at FTC in 36 months as opposed to 42 to 50 months in a traditional setting.
“It’s the career and salary that they can earn to help take care of their family that’s important. The faster we can get them into their new career and have them start receiving a paycheck the better off our students and their families will be,” Dr. Burkett says.
FTC’s mission is to partner with students to meet their goals in a learning environment that works for them.
Florida Technical College is an academic unit of National University College, which is accredited by MSCHE, has 28 campuses and serves approximately 20,000 students in Puerto Rico and Florida.
FTC Offers Diploma and Degree Programs in the Following Fields:
• Healthcare
• Business
• Information Technology
• Construction Trades
• Beauty
• Hospitality
Spanish Language Programs:
• Culinary
• Baking and Pastry
• Electrical
• HVAC w/ PLC
• Cosmetology
• Barbering
Florida Locations:
• Orlando
• Kissimmee
• Deland
• Lakeland
• Tampa
• Cutler Bay
• Pembroke Pines
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