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Apprenticeship grant helps SPC support local employers

From health care to technology, St. Petersburg College is working with local employers to fill in-demand careers through its apprenticeship program. Recently, the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) awarded the college a $25,000 grant to support the initiative.

SPC’s Apprenticeship Coordinator Jennifer Bodnar believes the funding will help local businesses rebound after the pandemic.

“Everyone is struggling since Covid, so to be able to have this funding, which allows employers not to pay out-of-pocket,” Bodnar said. “It offers us to give an incentive to employers and the apprenticeship program, to build it further.”

The college partnered with Community Health Centers of Pinellas (CHCP), a not-for-profit health care organization that provides affordable, primary health care services to the residents of Pinellas County. The grant funds are supporting SPC’s apprentice students, who are working at CHCP, by providing textbooks, tablets and uniforms for the program. The funding will also support hiring an administrator to help expand the program into other industries such as solar energy and manufacturing.

St. Petersburg College apprenticeship initiative is on the raise, as the college continues to work closely with industry leaders to ensure our graduates gain the skills they need to quickly enter the workforce.

Back in April 2020, SPC received $199,739  from FLDOE to establish a Clinical Medical Assistant (CMA) Pre-apprenticeship Program that will support the growing workforce need for medical assistants. The program helps students gain education and experience while creating a pipeline of skilled workers to enter the medical field. The program will also be a gateway for those interested in further pursuing a career in the medical field, such as in nursing or radiology.

“We are deeply committed to providing high quality training that will help meet the critical need for professionals in the medical field while providing opportunities for students to gain employment and economic stability,” said SPC President Dr. Tonjua Williams.

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