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

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.