College of Central Florida Opens Its Center for Career Development in Ocala

The College of Central Florida has opened a new Center for Career Development on its Ocala campus. College leaders and the Ocala Metro Chamber & Economic Partnership cut the ribbon on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, according to the college's announcement.

The center is on the first floor of the Enterprise Center (Building 42) at CF's Ocala Campus, 3001 SW College Road, Ocala, FL 34474, according to the college's event listing. It gives students career exploration tools, a place to network with local employers and connections to internships.

What is inside

Virtual reality headsets. Students will use VR headsets to explore careers, practice work-readiness skills and practice skills used in specific fields, such as health sciences and advanced manufacturing, the college said. Visitors tried them out at the opening.

The Connection Hub by Fastenal. The meeting room was made possible by a donation from Fastenal, according to a CF release before the opening. Students and employers can use it as a meeting room, and it has a set of VR headsets for career exploration. CF President Dr. Jim Henningsen recognized Fastenal and Dan Livingston, a district sales manager with the company, at the ribbon cutting. "This room gives students, faculty and employers a place to meet, and network; to host employer meetings; and conduct mock interviews," Henningsen said.

A professional clothing closet. The center houses CF's professional clothing closet, which gives students free clothes to wear to job interviews. The college says community members who want to donate professional clothing can email CareerServices@cf.edu.

The Connection Hub by Fastenal inside the Center for Career Development. Photo: College of Central Florida

What college and business leaders said

"At CF, our goal is not only to help students earn a degree or credential, but to prepare them for what comes next," Henningsen said. "This center represents our commitment to connecting our students with the tools, guidance, and opportunities they need to succeed in today's workforce."

Dr. Jennifer Fryns, CF vice president of workforce development and innovation, thanked Fastenal in the earlier release. "We are grateful to Fastenal for the generous donation that made the Connection Hub possible," she said.

Matt McCormick, president and CEO of the Ocala Metro Chamber & Economic Partnership, said the college keeps showing up for local students. "CF, time and time again, steps up to help our students, whether they're in high school, whether they're here on campus, they help our students and our community to find pathways to prosperity," he said. "This is another example of that."

Handshake and the Talent Center

Visitors also learned about Handshake, the college's career platform, which connects employers looking for candidates with CF students and alumni looking for jobs and internships.

The center sits next to the Talent Center, which CF runs with CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion in Suite 101 of the Enterprise Center. According to CF's Career Services page, the Talent Center offers free employment services, including resume development, practice interviews and job search help, to students, CF alumni and professionals in transition. Its services are open to businesses and eligible candidates in the three-county region. Its phone number is 352-840-5762. CF Career Services also works with current students and alumni on career planning, skills and interest assessments, resumes, and job and internship searches.

The college did not list separate hours for the new center. Questions can go to CareerServices@cf.edu.

More on CF and local jobs

The career center is one of several new projects at CF this fall. The college's events calendar set a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Criminal Justice Institute on Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Ocala campus. More on the college is in the College of Central Florida listing. Job seekers can browse jobs in Ocala, upcoming Ocala job fairs and the guide to trade schools in Ocala.

Sources: College of Central Florida, "College of Central Florida cuts ribbon on Center for Career Development" (Sept. 24, 2026) and "College of Central Florida hosts ribbon cutting for Center for Career Development" (Sept. 8, 2026); CF event listing, "Center for Career Development Ribbon Cutting"; CF Career Services page.