Innovative Professional Animal Workers (PAWS) Program Launches - Empowering Individuals with Differences

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The City of Jacksonville, The Arc Jacksonville and Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) proudly announced the launch of the innovative Professional Animal Workers Certificate (PAWS) program at a press event on January 28 at Animal Care and Protective Services (ACPS). This initiative offers individuals with intellectual and developmental differences (IDD) the opportunity to gain both comprehensive education and real-world, hands-on experience in animal care.

“The PAWS program truly represents a tremendous step forward in ensuring that students with intellectual and developmental differences now have the opportunity to gain meaningful skills, earn certifications, and open doors to new career paths," said Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan. "This is the kind of vital vocational training that will really make a difference in our city’s workforce development efforts. The partnership we’ve forged between The Arc Jacksonville, FSCJ, and our city’s Animal Care and Protective Services is a testament to what can happen when we come together with a shared goal of empowering individuals and fostering inclusion.”

The PAWS program, the first of its kind in Jacksonville, is a 12-week course designed to equip participants with critical skills for careers in kennels, animal daycare centers, and other pet-related businesses. Participants will engage in FSCJ coursework at The Arc Jacksonville’s campus covering animal safety, behavior, nutrition, emergency response, and first aid, alongside soft skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. They will then apply their knowledge through a practical internship at ACPS, gaining meaningful, industry-relevant experience.

“We know that, historically, the opportunities to earn postsecondary credentials have been woefully limited for individuals with intellectual and developmental differences,” said FSCJ President John Avendano, Ph.D. “We are committed to expanding opportunities for students of all abilities, ages, level of learning and socioeconomic status through innovative partnerships like the one we are celebrating here today that propel them into a successful, professionally and personally fulfilling future.”

The PAWS program builds on The Arc Jacksonville and FSCJ’s successful partnership, which began with the launch of Career Campus in 2023. Career Campus has already opened doors for recent high school graduates with IDD to earn work readiness certificates and training certifications in a variety of fields, and now, animal care.

“This program represents a significant step forward in workforce development, offering individuals with intellectual and developmental differences the opportunity to build meaningful careers,” said The Arc Jacksonville President and CEO Kari Bates. “Vocational training is essential in addressing the 91% unemployment rate among adults with IDD in Florida, and we are grateful for our dedicated community partners who make programs like this possible.”

Interested individuals can learn more or enroll by contacting (904) 355-0155 or careercampus@arcjacksonville.org.

Watch highlights from the press conference: https://vimeo.com/1051595209