One of St. Petersburg’s biggest contractors is spending tens of millions of dollars of its own money to train the skilled tradespeople the construction industry says it cannot find.
Power Design, a design and construction company with projects across the country, is expanding its training campus in the city. The company’s projects include the Tennessee Titans stadium and the Ritz-Carlton in Savannah, Georgia. The investment supports the company’s “Build the Nation” initiative, which is meant to head off a looming shortage of skilled labor.
“The supply isn’t there,” said Stephanie Morge, the company’s vice president of learning and development. She said that holds for hospitals, data centers, and everything in between.
The numbers support her. A recent State of America’s Skilled Trades report projects about 1.7 million trade jobs opening each year for the next nine years. The workforce is also aging. About one-quarter of skilled workers are 55 or older, while only 11% are under 25.
Earn while you learn
The company’s apprenticeship program, PowerU, enrolls about 380 students nationwide. Apprentices work on the company’s 350 projects, complete coursework, and draw a paycheck throughout the four-year program. Morge said the goal is to double the number of new apprentices next year.
Training happens at a 77,000-square-foot space called CAMP, which sits on the company’s 42-acre campus, known as the GRID. Exercises include wiring basic circuits and hunting for hidden construction and code errors in a mock apartment. The expansion will add new amenities, including student dorm rooms.
The program is certified by the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education. Morge said it launched seven years ago to give employees a uniform base of skills. Applicants need a high school diploma or equivalent and must speak English. The four-year curriculum covers electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and systems technologies, and it prepares graduates for the journeyman exam. Unlike employers that outsource coursework to local colleges, Power Design runs its program in-house. Apprentices spend one week at CAMP each quarter.
A question of perception
Morge said the trades still carry an unfair reputation as a “blue-collar, low-end” career, and she believes that stigma is steering young people away. “College isn’t always the answer for every young adult,” she said.
Alex Fox, the company’s senior director of marketing and brand strategy, said a skilled trade holds its value for life. He pointed to Tampa Bay, where new high-rises and growing housing demand are making the need for workers more urgent. Power Design estimates the country needs $6.7 trillion in construction by 2030.
“We’re helping build our community,” Fox said.
Buyers should still beware
When evaluating large-scale contractors like Power Design—a major electrical and systems contractor headquartered in St. Petersburg—prospective clients and partners should carefully review available feedback, noting that the firm primarily works on commercial and large multi-family developments rather than residential single-family home remodeling. Past public critiques and employment-related reviews often highlight potential friction points in fast-paced or high-pressure environments, including project management issues, communication lapses, and tight execution deadlines.
Before entering any formal agreements, property owners and developers should thoroughly vet subcontractor credentials, ensure clear lines of accountability, and review past project portfolios. Confirming precise contractual scopes, warranty terms, and communication protocols helps mitigate risks associated with large-scale industrial and multi-family construction partnerships.
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