___________________ Suncoast Builders Association / Suncoast Apprenticeship Academy
With a site now secured, the development of the Suncoast Apprenticeship Academy is in full swing. The academy’ s new home will be strategically located on the former Perkins Restaurant property at 5921 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, which is currently being renovated to support the school’ s long-term vision.
“ We envision the former Perkins property becoming a regional center for construction education and workforce development. The existing building will be renovated to provide administrative offices, student support areas, space for industry meetings, employer engagement, graduations, and community events,” Jon details.“ Our long-term vision also includes approximately 7000 square feet of workshop space and an additional 7000 square feet of classrooms and instructional areas inside a two-story, 14,000-square-foot building addition. This will allow students to learn in a real-world environment where they can move from classroom instruction directly into practical training.”
This combination of classroom and workshop space is designed to mirror the evolving construction workplace, where technical knowledge, hands-on skills, and technology increasingly go hand in hand. By creating an environment where students can learn core skills and immediately apply them in a practical setting, the academy can also introduce them to the equipment, products, systems, and technologies they will encounter on the job, preparing graduates to enter the workforce with both confidence and adaptability.
“ As the construction industry becomes more technology-driven, the academy will combine hands-on instruction with technologybased learning,” Jon affirms.“ Our industry partners will also play an important role by demonstrating the equipment, products, and systems that students will encounter in the workplace. The goal is to produce graduates who respect the fundamentals but are also comfortable adapting to new technology throughout their careers.” As the academy takes shape, its success will ultimately be measured by the opportunities those graduates create for themselves, their employers, and the communities they serve. In doing so, the SBA is helping lay the foundation for a stronger, more skilled, and more resilient construction industry across region.
“ The academy’ s goal is to serve approximately 420 students during its first three years of operation. Within five years, the academy aims to serve at least 700 students through pre-apprenticeship training, employer sponsored apprenticeship programs, professional licensure education and continuing education, with the capacity to serve even more as industry demand and employer participation grow,” Jon enthuses, optimistic for the future ahead.
“ The academy has the potential to be transformational for Sarasota and Manatee counties. Currently, there is no program that we know of that provides pre-apprenticeship training in our region for adults. That is an enormous opportunity to fill a huge need that can make a colossal positive impact in so many ways in our community for years to come. The vision for the academy is more than a building or a training program: it’ s a long-term investment in people, families, businesses, and the economic future of our community.” ■
www. suncoastba. org www. suncoastapprenticeshipacademy. org
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