The future of the skilled trades depends on what we do today — and it takes industry leaders, educators, community partners, and elected officials working together to move it forward.
That issue took center stage at the GRID this week, as U.S. Congressman and candidate for Florida governor Byron Donalds visited Power Design alongside his newly announced running mate, Bryan Avila. Workforce development has been a key focus for Donalds throughout his campaign, including expanding apprenticeships and creating stronger pathways into high-demand careers.
Before the congressman took to the podium for a press conference, Power Design leaders had the opportunity to speak with him and Avila about what those challenges look like firsthand in the construction industry — from skilled-trades education to strengthening the talent pipeline across the state.
With communities growing and new projects taking shape across Florida, the outlook for the construction industry is bright — but we need people to power the builds. Engaging directly with leaders who have a hand in shaping our state gives us the chance to advocate for the skilled trades, share what our industry needs, and make sure workforce development stays part of the discussion.
As one of Florida's largest construction employers and a leader in skilled-trades education, Power Design is committed to doing exactly that. And this wasn’t the first time we’ve opened our doors to bring workforce needs to the table.
Last year, we welcomed St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch to Power Design for a firsthand look at our approach to workforce development. During his visit, he toured our expanded campus and training facilities and learned more about the apprenticeship programs creating career pathways into the skilled trades.
More recently, we opened our doors to the City of St. Petersburg for a Workforce & Talent meeting and community workshop. Residents, businesses, employees, and local leaders came together to share their perspectives on District 2 and its continued growth.
For us, bringing people together is just one piece of a much bigger commitment.
Through our Build the Nation initiative, we’re advocating for the skilled trades, introducing more people to careers in construction, and raising awareness of the talent our industry needs. And through PowerU, our registered apprenticeship program, we’re creating a direct path for people to turn that interest into a career.
The challenges facing construction won’t be solved by any one organization. It’ll take continued collaboration across our industry, our communities, education, and government to create lasting change.
We’re committed to being part of that work and turning advocacy into action.
After all, if we want to keep Building the Nation, we have to keep building the workforce that makes it possible.