Hillsborough College’s SouthShore campus is making a big bet on Ruskin’s future workforce. On January 27, the college rolled out its Harvesting the Future capital campaign, a $5 million push to build the Glenn and Pop Dickman Workforce Center in Ruskin. The planned 51,000-square-foot facility is billed as a hands-on training hub for automotive collision repair, nursing and welding technology, with a clear through line to real jobs and local employers.
What the center would include
The Glenn and Pop Dickman Workforce Center is planned as a 51,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art learning space packed with advanced simulators, hands-on labs and computerized training tools designed to mirror real-world work environments. Campus officials describe the campaign as a way to boost workforce readiness and tackle regional labor shortages by tightening the connection between classroom instruction and employer needs, according to Osprey Observer.
Campus programs and location
SouthShore’s campus, at 551 24th St. NE in Ruskin, already hosts EMT, paramedic and nursing options along with other career programs. The college says the new workforce center would expand instructional space for collision repair and welding while deepening health-care training to better track with local employer demand, according to Hillsborough College.
Why it matters for local employers
Across Tampa Bay, employers continue to report openings in skilled trades and health-care roles, and local workforce agencies are trying to keep training pipelines pointed at those jobs. CareerSource Tampa Bay and county workforce partners run career centers and employer-focused programs around the region, according to Hillsborough County.
Recent state budget language has also included money for college workforce projects, signaling broader policy support for expansions like SouthShore’s proposed center, according to statewide spending documents from LegiScan.
How to support or learn more
Community members, business leaders and potential donors can plug into the Harvesting the Future campaign through the college’s listed contacts. The Osprey report notes a phone number (813-259-6021, ext. 6021), an email ([email protected]) and the college website for more on the campaign, as reported by Osprey Observer.
If the campaign hits its $5 million goal, SouthShore officials say the new center would sharpen the college’s pipeline into in-demand jobs and help local employers fill long-standing skills gaps. Campus leaders are pitching the project as a community investment in workforce readiness and economic resilience, with Ruskin sitting at the center of that effort.
