Pinellas Technical College receives the Silver Hammer Award

SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 | COLLEGE NEWS

Jakub Prokop, Pinellas Technical College Clearwater campus director accepted the
Silver Hammer Award on behalf of the college.

CLEARWATER BEACH – The Central Pinellas Chamber of Commerce presented the Clearwater campus of Pinellas Technical College (PTC) with the Silver Hammer Award on Friday, Sept. 20 at their 67th Annual Meeting and Awards Breakfast held at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort.

The Silver Hammer Award is given to brick and mortar projects that have an impact on the regional economy and contributes locally to a better quality of life.

The Clearwater campus recently underwent an $18.5 million facelift. The project involved multi-phase renovations, including overhauls and repairs to 13 buildings along with campus beautification.

"It was a lot of planning by senior administration to make this happen," said Jakub Prokop, PTC Clearwater campus director.

PTC is a non-profit institution under the umbrella of Pinellas County Schools. Established in 1962, we are the first public technical training school in the state of Florida.

(L,R) Lauren Ann Smalls, vice chair of Pinellas Technical College
School Advisory Committee, Jakub Prokop, Pinellas Technical College
Clearwater campus director, and Mariana Leslie, apprenticeship and
work-based specialist at Pinellas County Schools. 

With 40 exciting career areas and about 60 programs between the Clearwater and St. Petersburg campuses, PTC is preparing students to meet the 21st-century workforce. As members of the Central Pinellas Chamber of Commerce, PTC helps connect their industry-ready students with businesses. 

"We're here to support businesses – build the roads, run the plumbing, set the electric, help you when you're hurt, make you look pretty," said Prokop. "Whatever kind of services you depend on every day in your life, that's what we do at Pinellas Technical College."

Prokop believes the remodeled campus will attract new students, which will allow new programs to be created.

"We are, what I feel, the manufacturing and workforce backbone of the community," he stated. "We change lives, and it's one of the best jobs I've ever had.

The public is invited to check out the Clearwater campus’ new digs at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17 at the rededication ceremony. Visitors will have a chance to tour the campus, meet the staff, and rub shoulders with school board members and locally elected officials.