New Facilities Plan Will Shape a Stronger Future for Students, Community

9/16/2024

St. Petersburg College (SPC) continues its mission to be a beacon for the community and stand in the gap by bringing forward opportunities for the betterment of the community as it introduces multiple initiatives in its multiyear Facilities Master Plan. This plan is highlighted by a new manufacturing lab that will be constructed at the Midtown Center in South St. Petersburg. The work at Midtown aligns with SPC’s commitment to Pinellas County to provide the public with better jobs, better lives and a better community.

The College’s Facilities Master Plan is a comprehensive blueprint representing SPC’s community reinvestment. The changes in the plan are aimed at strengthening program synergy on all SPC campuses and allowing the College to enhance efficiencies, critical programs and initiatives that will enhance campus infrastructure.

Midtown Manufacturing Lab

In August, SPC’s Board of Trustees approved the addition of a manufacturing training lab at the Midtown Center to address regional and state industry needs. The state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 Lab at the Midtown location aims to enhance and expand short-term training programs in semiconductors, mechatronics, automation and robotics.

Supported by two state grants totaling $7.2 million, the new manufacturing lab fuels the state’s manufacturing workforce. This investment in workforce development and infrastructure improvements allows SPC to focus on bolstering workforce programs in the Midtown area of South St. Petersburg. It demonstrates the state’s support for our mission to uplift the community. SPC also received $1 million in the general appropriation for the project.

Florida is a global hub for advanced manufacturing and semiconductor industries, with Pinellas County being at the forefront. Home to global manufacturing leaders including Jabil, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, and Plasma-Therm, Pinellas County ranks second in the state for the most manufacturing businesses and third in the state for the most manufacturing employees.

Through the lab and purchase of high-tech equipment, SPC will provide hands-on, real-world experience to prepare students for today’s advanced manufacturing workforce. With its location in Midtown St. Pete, the lab will offer opportunities for the area’s unemployed, underemployed and/or veterans to earn credentials and gain high-wage technician jobs, providing residents with increased opportunities for professional development, education, and training.

Facility Vision for the Future

The College’s Facilities Master Plan also calls for expanding SPC’s nursing program at the Clearwater Campus and Midtown Center. This expansion strengthens health care education in the community and paves the way for new partnerships with SPC to enhance program offerings.

“At St. Petersburg College, we are striving to provide students with an education that leads to better jobs so they can live better lives, and together we can build better communities,” said SPC President Dr. Tonjua Williams. “These investments bring us closer to that goal. We are excited to see the opportunities it brings to this St. Peterburg community.”