Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) held a ceremony on Sept. 16 to officially open its expanded Workforce Training Center (WTC).
The event marked a defining moment in the college’s history, highlighting a commitment to its students by keeping pace with the ever-evolving talent needs of local and regional employers.
Public funding for the $9.8 million project comes from the State of New Jersey, Somerset County and Hunterdon County. The 22,000-square-foot expansion, which increases the facility by 50%, to a total of 65,700 square feet, enables the college to offer experiential learning in such rapidly expanding areas as biomanufacturing and aseptic processing, electric vehicle technology, mechatronics and robotics, and welding, bridging the gap between education and industry.
“The expanded Workforce Training Center transforms our campus, enabling RVCC to provide students and the community with cutting-edge facilities and programs,” said RVCC President Michael J. McDonough. “These advancements are a terrific example of the college’s innovative public-private partnerships, as we collaborate with industry to ensure that our students are well-skilled and our programs keep pace with emerging workforce demands.
“To further support these labor needs, the Workforce addition includes state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, providing students with hands-on training to seamlessly transition into jobs and creating a highly talented workforce pipeline.”
The WTC expansion includes space for the Aseptic Biomanufacturing Program, NJBioFutures, Electric Vehicle Technology Training, Mechatronics and Robotics, a Welding Lab and a Manufacturing Showcase.
The event featured remarks from state and local officials, as well as representatives from industry and RVCC.
