The denizens of the local Builders' Hall can give us some pointers on to how to construct various facilities, including real Workshops.
External workers can also help us with storage problems; each hired Worker expands our storage space by 4, but takes 5,000 Dolaros in monthly pay. However, they deliver an instantaneous storage capacity boost, without the need to wait for any Vaults to be built.
The Builders can also help us to coerce some of the landlubbers we catch to do some honest work, if you have such a fancy, Cap'n; the boon will be experience sharing. 'Job Interviews' are titled 'Work:' under Workshop's 'Recruitment' tab. Yes, we'll have to pay them, once their 'trial period' ends.