Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

St. Petersburg College Opens New Workforce Innovation Hub

  • By Kate Lucariello
  • 05/09/24

After five years of planning, St. Petersburg College (SPC) in Florida is now welcoming visitors to its new Chris Sprowls Workforce Innovation Hub on the Tarpon Springs campus. The 10,000-square-foot facility was dedicated in February 2024, and is devoted to manufacturing, creativity, and collaboration among students, educators, and business leaders.

The facility was named after Chris Sprowls, former Florida House of Representatives Speaker, who had a vision of "cultivating a skilled workforce by fostering skill development, encouraging collaboration, and contributing to the growth of local manufacturing businesses," the college said in a release.

The Innovation Hub was built inside the 40,000-square-foot Michael and Evelyn Bilirakis College of Education building. Project costs came in at about $8.2 million, and have been funded by SPC operational and capital outlay funds, said SPC sources in an e-mail.

The facility comprises three separate areas that can be rented:

  • An entrepreneurial space with workspaces, conference rooms, co-working areas, and Zoom room for virtual connections;
  • A makerspace with technology to develop, test, and teach about new products; and
  • An event space for large conferences and presentations, which includes a culinary catering and teaching area.

Jackie Skryd, SPC's vice president of workforce development and corporate partnerships, called the hub "a place where students can gain practical skills and real-world experience, ensuring job readiness," adding that it is also "a place where students, businesses, the college, and the community can connect, network, develop ideas, and collaborate."

Sprowls, speaking at the dedication in February, said he was "incredibly humbled" that the facility was named in his honor.

"We are so blessed to live in this community," he said. "We have amazing leaders who talked about a vision of what this space could be and, whatever small vision I had, they have far exceeded those expectations."

Visit this page to learn more about the innovation hub's research, partnership, and training opportunities.

View the February 2024 release for more information about the hub and a short video from the dedication event.

About the Author

Kate Lucariello is a former newspaper editor, EAST Lab high school teacher and college English teacher.

Featured

  • Utah Valley University Opens New Engineering Building

    Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, recently held a grand-opening ceremony for the new Scott M. Smith Engineering Building, according to a news release. The facility is one of the largest engineering buildings in the state at almost 200,000 square feet, and it plays home to the university’s Smith College of Engineering and Technology (SCET).

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part I

    We asked, you answered, and the results are in! Last year, we put out a call for submissions to collect our readership’s opinion on trends and predictions for K–12 and higher education facilities in 2026.

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.