Bucks County Community College has broken ground – albeit virtually – on the new Center for Advanced Technologies at the the Gene and Marlene Epstein Campus at Lower Bucks in Bristol Township.
The community college will be constructing a 28,000-square-foot building in front of the existing campus building along Veterans Highway (Route 413).
Credit: BCCC
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The $9.9 million building will connect to the existing campus via a pedestrian bridge. The new structure will contain classrooms and labs for computer-aided design, project management, and lean manufacturing. The plans call for adding 100 parking spaces to the site.
The Center for Advanced Technologies is aimed at expanding workforce training and skilled jobs education near I-95 and a number of manufacturers around Lower Bucks County.
“This new center will allow us to continue to expand our workforce programs and train future generations of skilled workers, the kind of qualified and dedicated employees that Bucks County’s businesses need to stay vital in the 21st century,” said Dr. Stephanie Shanblatt, the community college president. “We’re igniting a spark that will inspire people from all walks of life to pursue the education they need to have a career that is enriching for themselves, their families, and the broader community.”
Creidt: DIGSAU
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“Our groundbreaking is only the beginning of Bucks County Community College’s commitment to provide outstanding career training for our county,” said David Breidinger, chair of the community college’s board of trustees. “The past year has taught us that traditional classrooms are changing. Students are now taking different paths to succeed, and the new Center for Advanced Technologies is another pathway to success.”
Shanblatt told Bristol Township Council last February that the Center for Advanced Technologies is designed to train students for in-demand careers. She said area employers are “crying” to the community college seeking skilled workers to fill thousands of jobs that presently are unfilled.
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“We partner with businesses to help them thrive,” she said.
Shanblatt explained to council that as skilled training programs have expanded, the community college needs more space to hold programs, including metalworking, robotics, and machining.
“The need for such training continues to grow, as manufacturing is among the top three industries in Bucks County, with local manufacturers employing more than 28,000 people, or 14 percent of the workforce. The projected skills gap equates to more than 3,000 unfilled manufacturing jobs in Bucks County by 2025, and 2 million nationwide,” the community college said in a statement Tuesday.
Credit: DIGSAU
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Susan Herring, executive director of workforce development at the community college, said more than 300 skilled workers have gone from community college programs to the local workforce.
“It is heartwarming to see a program that is just beginning but will result in hundreds, really thousands of ‘thank yous’ in the future,” Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia said.
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The virtual groundbreaking came with the premiere of a video featuring community college officials and others. Toward the end of the video, each official passes on the ceremonial shovel for groundbreaking.
When the original Bristol Township community college campus was planned about 15 years ago, a bank and office building was planned for the front of the property. However, those plans fell through over the years.
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The Bucks County Community College Foundation create a new Workforce Development Fund. It is seeking individuals, alumni, and corporate partners to support the programs.
“With this fund, the Center for Workforce Development plans to provide scholarships to students who desire a career in manufacturing but cannot afford the tuition,” said Christina McGinley, the foundation’s executive director. “It will also help the center to purchase necessary equipment to expand current programs, start new ones, and ensure that student skills meet industry demands.”
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For more information about making a charitable donation to the Bucks County Community College Foundation, visit bucks.edu/discover/foundation/donate/cat/ or contact the foundation at foundation@bucks.edu or 215-968-8416.
Credit: DIGSAU
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