Volusia grows work‑based learning: district reports 425 internship offers; Pine Ridge HVAC program expands to year‑round internships

Volusia County Schools officials told the board Aug. 26 that the district’s work‑based learning expansion is producing tangible results: business partners and institutions reported hundreds of internship opportunities and several schools launched or deepened CTE pre‑apprenticeship programs.
Superintendent Carmen Balgobin told the board the district sought 300 internship placements over the summer and received more than 425 offers from community partners, which district staff said exceeded expectations. Balgobin said those placements included opportunities across multiple career and technical education pathways and credited district staff and community partners for the response.
Why it matters: Local business and industry have said that workforce pipelines are a top local economic need. The district’s expansion of CTE, internships and pre‑apprenticeships supports direct pathways from high school to local careers and, according to speakers, helps local employers fill high‑skill positions.
Highlights reported at the meeting included:
- Pine Ridge High School HVAC Academy: Director Leland Wilbert said the summer internship program placed four students on district facilities work across county schools; the program will continue after school starting next week and is no longer limited to a summer pilot. Wilbert said the hands‑on internships cover electrical systems, refrigerant handling, diagnostics and preventative maintenance and that several students already had been hired by Volusia County Schools.
- Internship numbers and donations: Balgobin said the Ormond Beach Chamber leadership class donated $8,800 to an agricultural program at Ormond Beach Middle School; the district’s Futures Foundation matched to present a combined $17,600. The superintendent also noted the district would present “A” banners to 28 schools and discussed CTE expansion plans.
- Business partnerships: Ken Phelps of the Daytona Regional Chamber and Josh Gergan from AdventHealth described ongoing collaborations including youth skills summits, free sports physicals, scholarship awards and literacy initiatives. AdventHealth managers said they hired a staffer dedicated to Volusia Schools and supported career‑exposure events tied to health careers.
Student voices were included in the meeting’s presentation materials: several students gave short testimonials about the value of internships and certifications earned in CTE programs.
Board members and business leaders urged continued growth of pre‑apprenticeship programs in welding, automotive and HVAC. Board members and speakers noted that work‑based learning improves student confidence and provides direct hiring pipelines for local employers.
The board did not take specific funding votes at the Aug. 26 meeting on these programs; speakers asked the board to pursue further appropriations and partnerships to expand the programs.
The district said it will present a CTE progress report in a future session with additional details on apprenticeship counts, employer partners and placement outcomes.