KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Valencia College's Advanced Manufacturing Training Center in Kissimmee is growing.

  • Valencia College's training center offers high tech programs
  • The center currently serves 84 students
  • Training can be used at distribution centers, theme park design firms

The center is helping students become experts in the field of high technology but in a shorter amount of time.

Dariana Flores, 22, comes to class with her father.

"He knows how to do the hands-on part and I know all the theory," she said. "So we have a classroom at home and we sit down and troubleshoot everything that we don't mutually know together."

It's unusual, but another classmate, Bridgit Nail, is doing the same thing with her mom. These parents and their children are part of one of the newest programs at the Valencia College Advanced Manufacturing Training Center: Mechatronics.

"I automatically told her… I know you're working on your Bachelor's but this program can fast track you to where we can live comfortably and do the things that we want to do," Nail's mom, Julia Tavarez said. "And so I just automatically told her, you're doing this with me."

What these students are learning here can be used at major grocery distribution centers and theme park ride design firms. But it's not the only program available. There's also welding, CNC machining and electronic board assembly.

The center serves about 84 students at the moment, but within the next year it's expecting to serve more than 240 students.

"And as you watch the growth with Neo City, with BRIDG, with so many other folks that are coming to the county," said Michael Kepner, director of the Advanced Manufacturing Training Center. "Our programs are designed to build the workforce of tomorrow so that the residents of Osceola County are prepared to take those roles."

Flores, who is originally from Puerto Rico, said that if her father who learned English as a second language has been able to master the program, anyone can.

"I mean you do have to know English because you have to read different things and you have to get instruction which are all English but because it's so hands on, it's not that much of a barrier," Flores said.

The Advanced Manufacturing programs have an 85-percent success rate when it comes to job placement.