Malls In Florida

Space Coast jobs face uncertain future after end of shuttle program

Professor Vince Burns takes a long sip from his 7-Eleven Big Gulp and faces his class. ¶ Burns is one hour into a four-hour evening session on inspecting circuit boards. Four of the six students in his Brevard Community College classroom are eager to beef up their resumes after getting laid off from United Space Alliance, the NASA contractor that manages the space shuttle program. ¶ Don't worry if circuit boards you examine have a little extra soldering, Burns tells the group. Only worry about meeting commercial specifications, not more stringent NASA specs. ¶ "Remember," he says, "we're not working at NASA anymore."

It may be the toughest lesson these students have to grasp.

This is, after all, the Space Coast, a region whose pride and identity has been linked to space exploration ever since the federal government began buying 212 square miles filled with citrus groves in 1962 to create what became the Kennedy Space Center.

The phaseout of the space shuttle this summer means more than the loss of at least 7,000 space-related jobs, more than a massive economic ripple hitting everything from restaurants to retailers, schools to scuba diving companies.

It means the Space Coast has to chart a new, broader identity.

For members of Burns' class, the future could lie in electronics. Elsewhere, hundreds of former space shuttle workers are turning to the airline industry, with companies like Embraer coming to Melbourne to build executive jets. For others, the brightest job options are in teaching or the defense industry or research and development, particularly related to clean energy.

And the region is still clutching to a Space Coast-light identity with a small but growing cluster of jobs connected to commercial space exploration through companies such as California-based SpaceX, which secured government contracts to launch payloads to the International Space Station.

Economic development leaders envision glory days returning someday with the region a national focal point not just for launching rockets but building commercial satellites, developing defense radar systems and dissecting the scientific riches discovered in space.

Frank DiBello, president of Space Florida, is sticking with the goal he set in late 2009 when he was tapped to run the state-created economic development arm for aerospace — namely, tripling Florida's aerospace industry within 10 years.

What You Can Find at Malls in Florida | Department Stores

People find different ways of relaxing after a stressful day at work or a busy day in school. Some go straight home to hit the sack early in the evening. Others dine out or enjoy drinks with colleagues or friends. Some stroll around malls and spend time with their loved ones to ease stress. These people see the mall as a place where they can renew and refresh their energies.

If some see a leisurely walk around the mall as a method of stress relief, others see going to malls as a need. They proceed to shopping centers to buy necessary household supplies, as well as to shop for goods such as clothing items and furniture. Many people visit the mall only when they need to, to avoid spending for products they don’t need.

In Florida, shopping malls are flocked not only by locals who have to buy some items but also by tourists and visitors looking to buy travel souvenirs. Many Florida tourists opt to explore the malls and factory outlets the state offers and purchase souvenirs from the establishments. A trip around Florida outlet centers is a part of many tourists’ itineraries.

What can be found in malls in Florida ? Basically, malls in the state have four components. These are shopping centers, large chain department stores, entertainment centers, and restaurants and dining areas. Most people go to shopping centers and department stores to buy wardrobe items from stalls of clothing companies and manufacturers. In shopping centers, tourists and locals can choose from a wide variety of shirts, jeans, shoes, and bags.

Those who go to entertainment centers play in arcades and amusement areas that are designed like miniature leisure parks. They engage in recreational activities by playing with digital computers, automated robots, and videogame consoles. Entertainment and amusement centers are the favorite areas of kids and teenagers in most shopping malls Florida is home to.

Malls in Florida are never complete without a line of restaurants and fast food chains. A Florida mall offers various bistros and cafés that provide a wide array of local delicacies. These dining establishments are the ideal destinations for tourists who want to explore the local cuisine of Florida.

Shopping Malls in Florida, The Florida Mall, Regency Square Mall (Jacksonville, Florida), the Mall at Millenia

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