KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Florida is hoping to boost manufacturing and create more jobs.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday awarded $6 million to Osceola County to build infrastructure that will allow the NeoCity Technology District to manufacture semiconductors, which are materials used in a variety of electronic devices.
The governor said the U.S. is "overly dependent on foreign nations" to produce semiconductors.
"Manufacturing is something we need to do a better job of," DeSantis said. "And we worked really hard in Florida to have more opportunities for vocational education. We have expanded our manufacturing footprint in the state of Florida, and we want to continue to be able to do that as we go forward."
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The governor said the multi-million-dollar grant could lead to the creation of tens of thousands of jobs in the Sunshine State.
"We have an opportunity to do more here in the United States, and I think the more we can do manufacturing of semiconductors, the better off we'll be," DeSantis said.
In addition, the governor awarded Valencia College $3.7 million to create new programs to focus on workforce training for semiconductor industries.
"Through this program, students will be able to be certified in operating, repairing, and designing the robots that are used to create semiconductors in just 14 weeks," DeSantis said.
