What $7.2 million means for local workforce development

Receiving $7.2 million in state grants will bolster St. Petersburg College’s efforts to develop new advanced manufacturing programs. It will also help kids in South St. Pete see a pathway to jobs with industry leaders like Jabil and Honeywell.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the awards July 24 at SPC’s Midtown Center. School leadership will use the $3.2 million Florida Job Growth and $4 million Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grants to develop a state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 Lab.

The facility, located along the culturally significant yet economically disadvantaged 22^nd Street South corridor, will feature the latest semiconductor, robotics, mechatronics and automation training equipment. Dr. Jackie Skyrd, vice president of workforce development and corporate partnerships, noted that the initiative will benefit local youth long before they reach college.

“I can’t wait to see the windows on the street,” Skyrd said. “Anyone riding, driving or waking by will see what’s happening on the inside and will see themselves working on this equipment.

“There’s really a lack of awareness of what all the possibilities are, and to have this space – it’s such a visual impact.”

The funding will also enable SPC to expand its STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Collegiate High School from the Downtown Center to the Midtown Campus. It allows students to earn an associate’s degree in technology.

Skyrd said teens attending the South St. Pete campus can also receive a semiconductor manufacturing-focused engineering technology degree. Students will enter the onsite program in ninth or 10^th grade and “assimilate into college life.”

“The goal is to have a flex-use space to plug and play different technologies and equipment, depending on the needs of the companies at the time,” Skyrd added. “So, if things change in five years and we need to switch out the equipment, we should be able to do that relatively easily.”

SPC currently lacks the space to accommodate those efforts. However, it does have an old gymnasium with a former daycare center, and adjacent office and classroom space, at the Midtown Center.

Skyrd said the roughly 15,000-square-foot facility has sat vacant “for years.” She also noted that the area and state lack an adequate advanced manufacturing workforce pipeline.

Skyrd said 52% of Pinellas County households meet asset-limited or poverty thresholds. SPC’s leadership realized they could use the underused space to foster high-paying jobs.

She explained that training grants do not provide the capital needed for construction projects. Skryd has led “piecemeal” fundraising efforts and awaits a federal appropriation’s approval.

“Having the governor come down and make that award personally shows that this isn’t just the college,” she said. “This was driven by industry. They’ve actually been the leaders in the conversation around this, and we’ve listened.”

Governor Ron DeSantis presented SPC officials with a ceremonial check at a private event July 24.

Skyrd believes the funding validates SPC’s efforts. She noted that the program will help onshore jobs and has a homeland security component.

The area is home to industry leaders like Lockheed Martin, Jabil and Honeywell. Pinellas ranks second and third in the state for the most manufacturing businesses and employees, respectively.

Skyrd said company representatives helped design the program and will likely assist in training. Younger students will visit the facility through field trips.

“You see the data; 22% of our 16-to-24-year-olds are out of the workforce and not going to school,” Skyrd said. “They’re not doing anything. How do we tap into that? Can we inspire them? I believe we can.”

She explained that the training intertwines with additional fields, like construction, electrification and telecommunications. New programs include artificial intelligence and machine learning, generative design and clean room technology. Local small businesses can also utilize the lab.

County commissioners will vote on the Historic Gas Plant District’s proposed $6.7 billion redevelopment Tuesday. Skyrd noted the Tampa Bay Rays and Hines must fill thousands of construction-related jobs if the 30-year project receives approval.

The current focus is on renovating the lab and establishing new programming. “But we can plug and play different things into it well into the future,” Skyrd added.

A manufacturer using robotics. Unsplash image by Mech Mind.

She said the corporations involved will hire students directly from the program. Skyrd believes participants will share the benefits with their peers as they move into high-paying careers and make their first purchases.

The college will offer scholarships for the unemployed, underemployed and veterans. “That’s why those windows are so important,” Skyrd said. “The community needs to see it. People need to know about it.”

SCP will launch new advanced manufacturing certifications in three to four months. The dual-enrollment collegiate high school program will follow.

Skyrd said SPC will provide training in a temporary location while developing the Industry 4.0 Lab. She anticipates it opening in the fall of 2026.

“This is life-changing,” Skyrd said. “Not only for them (students), but their families.”