On a Mission to Bring Tech Manufacturing Jobs Back To Florida

Local electronic training facility works to create a new workforce

Lucy Justice at J.E.T.S Electronic Training Facility J.E.T.S Founder and President Lucy Justice instructs a student at the J.E.T.S headquarters in Orlando, FL

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"Last year Florida lost 300 tech manufacturing jobs," said Lucy Justice, President and founder of Justice Electronics Training Service (J.E.T.S) in Orlando, Florida. She was quoting a recent AeA report showing that although Florida's high-tech industry added 5,700 new jobs to its economy, Florida experienced negative growth in the tech manufacturing sector. "Electronic manufacturing companies are leaving Florida because there are not enough trained workers to fill the demand."

Maryann Fiala, Executive Director of AeA Florida Council echoes Justice's sentiment. "Many tech companies have far more open positions than they are able to fill. Unfortunately, many of these companies are forced to grow their business outside of Florida."

Lucy Justice is on a mission to reverse that trend and bring tech manufacturing jobs back to the sunshine state. To accomplish her goal, she founded J.E.T.S, the only IPC certified electronics training facility in Florida. IPC is the Association Connecting Electronics Industries, a global trade association and leading authority for industry standards, training, and market research for the $1.5 trillion global electronics industry. At J.E.T.S, students receive hands-on training for everything from basic electronic skills to advanced electronics assembly techniques which meet the most stringent industry standards.

Because the IPC standards are recognized industry wide, workers with an IPC Certification are generally in higher demand when electronics manufacturers need to hire workers.

The first group of students completed training at J.E.T.S in March, and the impact was immediate. "We have electronics manufactures calling us, desperate for qualified workers." said Justice. "Every student from our first training class received a job offer."

According to statistics presented by the Agency for Workforce Innovation, unemployment in Florida remains at a four-year high. "We are in a situation where there are more people looking for jobs, while the electronics industry can't find enough qualified people," said Justice. "It is the perfect opportunity for workers to receive training and begin a new career."

Lucy Justice is a seasoned veteran with more than 35 years experience in the electronics industry. She has worked and produced products relative to advanced military, medical, and aerospace applications. For more than 15 years, she has worked with private industry giving hands-on training to electronics workers. As an IPC Master Trainer, she is authorized to certify other trainers, which will help electronics manufactures across the state meet their workforce demands here in Florida rather than going out of state or even out of the country.

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