Central Florida has a wide range of cutting-edge industries well-suited to those with military backgrounds. Orlando is the world capital of Modeling, Simulation & Training (MS&T), the top producing region for engineers in the Aviation, Aerospace & Defense industry and also home to the world’s first international consortium for advanced manufacturing and research. Tampa Bay serves at the gateway to the Florida High Tech Corridor, spanning 23 counties, and the surrounding region is packed with rapidly growing high-tech companies, research institutions and industry organizations. There are also rich opportunities in agritechnology, aerospace, digital media, energy technologies, life sciences and medical technologies. The main innovation driver in the Tampa Bay region is Information technology.

Veterans attending the region’s schools and using GI Bill benefits pay the in-state tuition rate, no matter where they came from. Desheun Hines and his wife Patricia, both former U.S. Marines, chose to further their education at the University of Tampa and tout the huge level of support they have found among veterans and non-veterans alike.

Veterans can tap into an endless stream of mentors among business leaders and veterans in the communities of Central Florida.