FIU becomes first Florida university to launch DeSantis emergency management workforce initiative

Florida International University is the first institution to implement Gov. Ron DeSantis' Coalition for Operational Readiness in Education, or CORE, a statewide emergency management workforce initiative announced in June.

The initiative had its first official rollout at FIU Aug. 26. It connects higher education, workforce development and hands-on training to prepare students for careers in emergency management. Eleven Florida institutions have committed to participate in CORE, according to the Governor's Office.

FIU President Jeanette Nuñez said the university already has much of what CORE is intended to encourage at colleges and universities around the state.

"CORE is sort of like the statewide coordinating hub, if you will, the initiative that brings together the academic partners because the degrees will be earned by the respective universities, right?" Nuñez said.

At FIU, CORE builds on the Academy for International Disaster Preparedness within the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work. Senior Director Robert M. Jorge leads the academy.

Nuñez said FIU already offers bachelor's and master's degree programs in disaster management and has awarded more than 800 degrees to emergency management personnel, first responders, law enforcement officers, firefighters and others.

"We've trained and we've provided over 800 degrees to emergency management personnel, first responders, law enforcement officers, firefighters, etc.," she said. "And so, CORE is already kind of part of who we are. And so, this just brings that enhanced focus, and then now we'll be sort of the repository for expertise along the state."

As other colleges and universities incorporate CORE into their programs, Nuñez said they will be able to look to FIU's existing programming as a model.

FIU does not expect to hire additional faculty, construct facilities or create new degree programs because of CORE and does not anticipate additional costs at the outset, according to Nuñez.

"I don't think there'll be any cost incurred because we've already been doing this," she said.

The university's Bachelor of Arts in Disaster Management is part of the programming that will provide a model for other institutions joining the initiative.