School's in

When recently retired CEO David Branton of Cape Coral-based Turbine Generator Maintenance thought about his four-decade career, one accomplishment stood out: a partnership with Fort Myers Technical College to build a program to fulfill the needs of his workforce.

TGM specializes in repairing and maintaining steam and gas turbines for utilities, mining companies and agribusinesses. Like many executives in manufacturing and the trades, Branton knew that to grow quickly, he needed a top-notch workforce. “Back in the steel mill days, there was a huge technical college mechanical training program,” says Branton, “but over the years it's gone away with computers.”

Branton reached out to FMTC in 2010, but found nothing that fit. So he and Bill McCormick, then the school's program director, created a program. For qualifying graduates, TGM could offer a starting rate of $20 an hour, the ability to travel overseas and long periods off during off-peak seasons. With overtime opportunities, TGM technicians could make salaries of $60,000 to $100,000 a year.