One of the poorest areas in Florida, Hendry County, is getting ready for the new Airglades International Airport, a $300 million cargo center that could transform its economy.
The project, which awaits approval, stands out for its perfect location just five miles outside of Clewiston and 90 miles west of Miami. The idea is to convert a general aviation airport into a logistics center, but with runways and adjacent space, noted Business View magazine in an interview with Lillie B. Rentz, manager of Airglades International Airport.
"Hendry County has always been mainly known for its agribusiness," said Rentz. "Our project will bring new industries to the area: manufacturing, distribution, commerce, and logistics. If you fly over Hendry County, all you see are farms, extensive agricultural lands, and, in my opinion, an area where people can come in and grow their businesses."
"Hendry has one of the highest unemployment rates in Florida, so working on this project offers many promising opportunities to the area, including not only increasing the local tax base but also abundant job opportunities as a result of the project," stated the businesswoman.
The plan to turn the small county-owned airport into private property still needs to obtain approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which will depend in part on the consolidation of contracts with suppliers in Latin America to demonstrate its potential as a perishable goods center.
According to Business View, Airglades International Airport could become a "fully equipped modern alternative that focuses solely on the perishable market", considering that Miami International Airport, the busiest in the U.S. in terms of perishable cargo and products import, is reaching its limit.
Local leaders see the project as a generational opportunity, which could bring more than 1,400 new high-skilled jobs to their predominantly agricultural community on the edge of the Everglades, as noted in a recent report by the AP agency.
"We have one of the most beautiful country areas," said Michael Swindle, county school superintendent, and yet, "by all the metrics by which a county would be judged, we are number 1 or number 2 in the negative categories."
But to achieve great dividends, educators in the region will have to overcome some harsh realities, including a third of working-age adults not having a high school diploma, while almost half speak a language other than English, one of the highest percentages in Florida.
Community groups and schools are working to address the shortage of teachers and make investments in adult education.
Meanwhile, two adult education centers have expanded with the support of the Future Makers Coalition, a community organization that has led educational retraining efforts throughout southwest Florida. They are also funding a counselor to develop new skills in the students.
Spanish-speaking students have filled the adult education center in LaBelle, the capital of the 5,000-inhabitant county.
At the other adult education center in the county, in Clewiston, dozens of students wearing thick gloves and respiratory masks are working to obtain the necessary industrial certifications to enter the workforce.
Samantha Garza, 21, initially studied childcare at a community college in Fort Myers, but switched careers after watching YouTube videos about welding. "I felt like this would be a career for me," she told AP.
Even before arriving at the airport, there are many local employers waiting to hire students. In fact, U.S. Sugar, the agricultural giant based in Clewiston, has such urgent needs that it started an internal project with the intention of improving the quality of life of the area.
What do you think?
COMMENTFiled under: