Trades on wheels: PBSC expands workforce training with mobile classrooms

Palm Beach State College is taking its trade programs on the road. Powered by a $1 million grant from the Lowe’s Foundation, the College is taking these programs beyond the walls of its Education and Training Center at the Lake Worth campus—bringing trades on wheels to the Palm Beach Gardens campus.

The expansion includes a fleet of trailers that will function as mobile labs. Each trailer will accommodate 8 to 10 students, providing a focused, hands-on learning environment that mirrors the experience at the 150,000-square-foot Education and Training Center and ensures students at Palm Beach Gardens receive the same high-quality training.

The trailers are being assembled with the help of electrical students at the Lake Worth campus, giving them valuable real-world experience in the process. The mobile labs are expected to be relocated in time for the fall semester, to serve students in HVAC, low voltage and electrical programs. Additionally, one trailer will be used for recruitment purposes traveling to local schools and events to promote the College’s industry, manufacturing, construction and transportation programs. This initiative marks a step forward in PBSC’s commitment to workforce development, with plans to expand the use of these trailers to additional campuses in the future.

“This partnership with Lowe’s is significant, as they’re a leader in construction materials and a strong supporter of workforce development,” said Eligio Marquez Veray, PBSC district associate dean of trade and industry. “We’re grateful to be among the first recipients of this grant, and we’ve already seen meaningful growth in our programs as a result. As we expand to additional campuses, we’re confident this growth will continue, allowing us to serve even more students.”