News Article

FSW Corporate Training Center Secures $1.3 Million Arthrex Training Grant

Oct 8, 2019

OCTOBER 7, 2019 – FORT MYERS, FLA – Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW), the state fiscal agent for Quick Response Training (QRT) grants, has secured a $1.3 million grant for Arthrex to train 363 new hires.

“This is a significant grant for Arthrex, FSW and our region,” said Dr. Robert R. Jones, vice president, economic development and external affairs, FSW. “The funds will be used for customized supervisory and management training.”

“Arthrex is very appreciative of our partnership with FSW and the state of Florida. The grant supports Arthrex’s continued growth and investment in Southwest Florida,” said Kathy Sparrow, senior vice president, human resources, Arthrex.

Arthrex is an orthopedic medical device company, and a leader in product development, medical education and a pioneer in arthroscopy, having developed thousands of products and surgical procedures in orthopedic medicine worldwide. The company’s corporate headquarters is located in Naples, Fla., with global divisions in Munich, Germany and Singapore. It also has several subsidiaries and distribution centers throughout the eastern and western hemispheres.

FSW is the State Fiscal Agent for Quick Response Training (QRT) grants in Southwest Florida. This is the fourth QRT grant awarded to Arthrex in the last three years. By working closely with CareerSource Florida in Tallahassee, and the local Workforce Board, FSW and Arthrex have been successful in securing $3.2 million in QRT funds to train over 1,300 new hires since July 2017. This funding not only directly benefits the companies receiving training funds but also results in a local economic benefit.

The QRT grant lasts for one year and is targeted on the highly-customized training programs that companies need to improve the skill base of new hires. These programs can be instructed by specialists from the company itself or by one from FSW’s extensive portfolio of subject matter experts.

In addition to this Arthrex QRT grant, three other FSW grants have been awarded since July 2019. These were Gartner for $525 thousand, ScotLynn for $150 thousand, and Cigent for $116 thousand. Since 2013, FSW has secured over $13 million in QRT funding to train over 8,000 new hires.

For more information about FSW Corporate Training, visit www.fsw.edu/corporatetraining.

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Florida SouthWestern State College is Southwest Florida’s largest and most affordable institution of higher education. Annually serving nearly 22,000 students globally, FSW offers a variety of nationally-ranked, career-focused academic programs with two- and four-year degrees and professional certifications, several with 100 percent licensure pass and job placements rates. Study and travel abroad opportunities are available for students through FSW’s Center for International Education. Students are also active in clubs and programs catered to their interests. FSW debuted its first Women’s Volleyball program in Fall 2019. Visit www.FSW.edu for more information.

Last Updated: May 26, 2020