An Orlando-based technical college has gotten a new name, and with it, new opportunities for its students.
As of this month, Florida Technical College in Orlando is now part of the Northbridge family of universities, and the campus is now one of several named Northbridge University.
NUC University is a private university founded nearly five decades ago. It has campuses in Florida, Puerto Rico and Oregon.
The name change doesn’t affect degrees previously earned or currently in progress.
But under the new name of Northbridge University, the school will launch more than 30 new academic programs in fields like health, construction and IT.
CEO of Northbridge Michael Bannett says the change “reflects that evolution—aligning the institution's identity with the breadth of its academic offerings, its multi-state presence across the United States and Puerto Rico, and its role as a trusted partner in advancing student success and workforce-aligned outcomes."
Watch the rollout here:
It will also develop 20 short-term credential programs in industries like construction and business, which the university says are aligned with the newly approved federal Workforce Pell provisions.
"Northbridge University is not a departure from who we have been; it is a clear articulation of who we have become," said Michael Burkett, the president of what was once Florida Technical College. "The unified identity more accurately reflects the scope of our academic offerings and reinforces the university's long-term strategic direction."
Northbridge operates in 30 locations, including Florida campuses in Kissimmee, Orlando, DeLand, Lakeland, Tampa, Pembroke Pines, and South Miami. The transition from FTC to Northbridge will happen in phased stages throughout the next year.
Northbridge University joins only a handful of other private universities in the Central Florida area, like Keiser University and Full Sail University, many of which have a hands-on focus in high-demand fields like nursing, radiography, and tech.
