DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Boeing officially announced on Tuesday the opening of a new location at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, bringing 400 new jobs.
The company’s new engineering center, named Boeing Daytona Beach, is set to open in the fall 2024. It will be located in the Cici and Hyatt Brown Center for Aerospace Technology, which has been under construction for the past two years, on Embry-Riddle’s main campus in Daytona Beach.
“Today is a momentous day—not just for Embry-Riddle or for the city of Daytona Beach, but for all of Florida,” said Mori Hosseini, chairman of Embry-Riddle’s Board of Trustees.
The opening of the Boeing Daytona Beach facility is expected to have a large impact on Florida’s economy and increase relevant career opportunities, according to a news release.
The company has pledged to employ 200 workers at its new facility by the end of the year, and an additional 200 throughout the years of 2025-26.
“Graduates get to come enter our workforce. Hopefully, we’re also going to recruit talent from the area as well,” said Steve Nordlund, Boeing vice president.
“They’ll be working on everything from space and satellites to military equipment,” he added.
The new engineering center is also predicted to expand the potential for the future of both aviation and aerospace. Those hired at this “state-of-the-art” facility will engage in engineering and research for Boeing’s Defense, Space and Security aircraft programs and advanced technology capabilities, according to the release.
The facility is funded through a $25 million donation by Cici and Hyatt Brown and a $25 million match by the state.
“Typically that’s not our focus because we have a state university system so to get us to support something private like this at that level we would only do that if there’s clear benefits to the state of Florida,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Brown is the billionaire behind Brown & Brown insurance company and was a former speaker of the Florida House.
Boeing said it is committed to investing an additional $100,000 in several local nonprofit organizations in Volusia County—including the Second Harvest Food Bank of Volusia County Schools, and organizations supporting veterans and environmental efforts—as a part of its initial impact on the area.
The company plans to launch a new educational initiative, called the “DreamLearners Program,” in schools across Volusia County later in the fall. This project will give students opportunities to participate in hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics programs.
These initiatives are a part of the aim of both the university and Boeing to curate a collaborative “hub” that combines areas of business and education.
“The launch of our Research Park in 2017 marked a new era for Embry-Riddle,” said P. Barry Butler, President of Embry-Riddle. “By leveraging corporate partnerships, we’ve created a career pipeline that initially funnels students toward hands-on learning opportunities and, ultimately, fills jobs in the critical sectors of aviation, aerospace and STEM-related fields.”
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