- December 14, 2025
Less than three months ago, 20-year-old Jose Morales Santiago was homeless and without a high school diploma. But thanks in part to the Center for Business Excellence — which heads up the One-Stop Employment Centers in Flagler and Volusia counties — he is now on pace to receive his GED, graduate a machinist work-training course and possibly land his first full-time job.
According to CBE Communications Manager Lou Paris, the increases to his organization’s scholarship program should be able to offer additional residents the same opportunity.
While the system previously offered grants from $2,500 to $5,000, based on potential salary earnings, CBE’s new scholarship structure will offer grants up to $7,500 to cover each eligible applicant’s schooling in any of the center’s list of targeted occupations.
“To go from where Jose was to where he is right now is such a quantum leap,” Paris said. “(Our scholarship program) has been around for a while; we’ve just made the deal sweeter.”
The program funded Santiago’s four-week course through computer numerical control training.
Prior to that, SaSo, another branch of the center, referred him to the CBE after having paid for his GED preparation at Daytona State College, which Santiago completed in less than a month.
He is currently awaiting his GED scores, which Velma Lowe, a CBE professional services manager, fully expects to be positive.
“He was homeless since he was 18,” Lowe said. “And he has absolutely no family support.”
But on Monday, Santiago is slated to complete his manufacturing training, with employers present who may be looking to hire machinists on the spot.
“His instructor is going to give him a really good recommendation, too,” Lowe added. “(Santiago) also wants to get his vocational certificate … and if he continues on, it would mean (another) scholarship.”
The scholarship money is seekers of jobs in targeted industries, which are industries that have more than 10 job openings each year and salary earnings of more than $10.21 per hour, such as computer engineers, dental assistants and employment, recruitment and placement specialists.
After an occupation is chosen, training must be provided through one of the CBE’s approved providers — in Palm Coast, there are two: Flagler County Schools (call 446-7612) and Flagler Technical Institute (446-7612). A skills assessment and meeting for further program information should also be taken a month prior to training starts, at the One-Stop Employment Center, at 20 Airport Road.
“You come to us right away, before training starts,” Paris said, “so you have the money upfront.”
According to Paris, the program’s focus on targeted industries was a conscious move to diversify in Flagler’s workforce.
“In the last recession, Flagler was hit dramatically, and it was basically becuase the main industry in Flagler was construction,” he said. “But I think there’s a lot of people here … that are making an effort to look and foster industries that are growth industries. ... This is part of that effort … so if anything happens in the future, we’re a little more diversified.”
But for people like Santiago, he’s just happy to finally be in a position to find work and support himself, Lowe said.
“He wouldn’t have ever been able to do it if (we hadn’t) paid for things for him,” she said. “It’s something he just couldn’t have funded on his own.”
The first deadline for all applications is July 20. For more, call 586-5169.
Contact Mike Cavaliere at [email protected].
