The LifePointe Career Institute’s Jacksonville Hospitality Institute (JHI), a FreshMinistries iniitive was granted a provisional licence by Florida Department of Education Commission for Independent Education. LifePoint's new license places the education training program in the same category as other well-known institutions like The University of Phoenix and ITT Tech. This is a major step forward for the JHI program.

Mr. Bobby Lee, a Program Development Associate with FreshMinistries, explained the process surrounding the licensing and its benefits, “We worked with a liaison from the State whose job was to help us make sure we had the best catalogue and presentation available to us when we went before the state board for licensing .” FreshMinistries had to present curriculums, teacher backgrounds and other program and curriculum materials for review by the Board on September 22. Lee continued, “Our presentation package was in such good order that FreshMinistries was one of three presenters, out of a total of 18 schools, not called upon to answer further questions during the review. We are especially proud of this since this is our first attempt to seek licensing for the program."

The importance of the license for new and aspiring students is that it will give state agencies, including WorkSource, the ability to pay for the student’s tuition costs through scholarships and other funding means. The goal of the program, according to Lee, is to ensure that no student interested in improving their skills and employability will have to pay to attend the Jacksonville Hospitality Institute. "The idea is to provide low-income unemployed and underemployed individuals with the job and life skills training they need for employment in the hospitality and environmental services industry," Lee stated. "The Provisional License will allow us to continue to expand our student base by removing the tuition and financial barriers that prevent many students from participating in programs such as ours. This is a giant step in that direction."

For more information contact Michelle Hughes: freshministries.org/content/view/105/138/

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