Foley
Foley, Alabama, is a city of about 15,000 residents about halfway between Pensacola, Florida, and Mobile, AL. Residents have several choices when looking for higher education opportunities. Fortis College offers students training as medical transcriptionists, and in heating and air conditioning. In nearby Orange Beach, about five miles away, students find Columbia Southern University. This college offers mostly online business training. About 30 miles to the east in Pensacola, FL, students find Pensacola State College, a junior college offering training and associate degrees in many different areas. Students also find The University of West Florida. Particularly noteworthy here is the School of Science and Engineering and the underwater archeology department. About 38 miles to the northwest in Mobile, students find Bishop State Community College, ITT Technical College, Virginia College, Remington College, and the University of Mobile. The largest campus in the entire area, however, is the University of South Alabama. In Bay Minette, about 32 miles north, students find James H. Faulkner State Community College.
The city's largest employer is UTC Aerospace Systems, which works at building structures for the aerospace industry. The second-largest employer is Vulcan Incorporated, which operates one of the largest aluminum mills in the nation. The third-largest employer is Ascend Performance Materials, which produces Nylon 6,6. Starr Textile Services provides dry cleaning solutions to the entire Gulf Coast area.