Clearwater Business SPARK Announces Partnership with St. Petersburg College

Date: 02/07/2018 10:39 AM

Clearwater Business SPARK is pleased to announce its 10th and newest partner, St. Petersburg College. 

St. Petersburg College’s partnership adds a strong and well respected academic institution that is community focused.  Like Clearwater Business SPARK, St. Petersburg College is a valued resource to help individuals grow and succeed. 

“Welcoming St. Petersburg College as a partner of the Clearwater Business SPARK network is very exciting,” Audra Aja, Clearwater Business SPARK program coordinator. “The college brings an array of training opportunities for individuals and businesses, as well as the impressive Collaborative Labs offering facilitated strategic planning sessions that make real impacts on organizations. We are proud to partner with St. Petersburg College to support our community.” 

St. Petersburg College will work with Clearwater Business SPARK to provide business-related services, resources and programs, including its Workforce Institute and Collaborative Labs. 

The Workforce Institute offers training, continuing education, industry certifications, licensures and career pathways that are affordable and accessible to goal-oriented individuals and businesses committed to accelerated professional growth. 

The Collaborative Labs designs and executes strategic-planning sessions and facilitates organizational problem solving using a unique approach that incorporates interactive technology, strength-based techniques and real-time documentation to develop an action plan that produces tangible results. 

Recently, St. Petersburg College assisted Clearwater Business SPARK facilitate a strategic planning session as a way to launch its partnership. 

“St. Petersburg College is pleased to join in partnership with Clearwater Business SPARK to offer an expanded toolkit to support the success of businesses and entrepreneurs, including accelerated training and industry certifications, strategic planning and collaborative cohorts, and innovative venues and work spaces to get it done and get ahead,” said Andrea Henning, executive director of the Collaborative Labs at St. Petersburg College. 

Launched in 2016, Clearwater Business SPARK is a network of partners who support local small businesses and entrepreneurs looking to start or grow their business. St. Petersburg College joins the partnership network that includes the Tampa Bay Black Business Investment Corporation, Pinellas County SCORE, the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce, Florida Small Business Development Center at Pinellas County Economic Development, the city of Clearwater’s Economic Development and Housing Department, Clearwater Public Library System, Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency, Prospera, formerly Hispanic Business Initiative Fund (HBIF), and Florida Business Incubator, formerly known as TAFFIE.

Clearwater Business SPARK provides business programs and services including business planning and coaching, educational programs, networking opportunities, guidance for doing business with the federal government and international markets and incubator services. Clearwater Business SPARK also offers access to databases and market research tools, a variety of co-working, meeting and training spaces and hands-on tools and activities at Studios@Main, a unique makerspace located within the Clearwater Main Library.

To learn more about Clearwater Business SPARK and its partners, visit ClearwaterBusinessSPARK.com or contact Audra Aja, Clearwater Business SPARK program coordinator, at (727) 443-0217 or email at info@ClearwaterBusinessSPARK.com.