New Manufacturing Training Center Opens At Farmington College

Connecticut State Community College System

FARMINGTON, CT — State and education officials celebrated a major milestone for Tunxis Community College in Farmington on Wednesday.

With Gov. Ned Lamont on hand, college and government leaders cut the ribbon on a new feature that aims to better train students for jobs in manufacturing.

Part of the Connecticut State Community College System, Tunxis, hosted a grand opening of its new "Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center."

The event took place at the Spring Lane campus.

Located at 21 Spring Lane in Farmington, adjacent to the Tunxis campus, the newly renovated facility is the second largest of CT State’s advanced manufacturing centers.

The building adds over 14,000 square feet of dedicated space for advanced manufacturing machine technology programs and customized training.

It is supported by $7.5 million in state funding for acquisition, renovations and outfitting.

The center features a machine technology lab with more than 30 pieces of machinery and equipment, two classrooms, administrative offices, and a conference room.

“Connecticut has the most talented and well-trained workforce of any state in the nation that stands ready to meet the needs of 21st century employers, particularly those in the advanced manufacturing sector,” said Lamont in a statement.

“By expanding our workforce training opportunities with the creation of this new Advanced Manufacturing Center at CT State Tunxis in Farmington, we are sending a signal to the world’s cutting-edge companies that this is the place they need to be if they want a workforce that will help them succeed and grow."

“This marks an exciting step forward for our college and the central Connecticut region,” said CT State President Dr. John Maduko. “With the opening of our 11th manufacturing location, we are better equipped to tackle workforce challenges and support economic development."

Other officials agreed.

“Our colleges and universities train Connecticut’s workforce,” said Connecticut State Colleges & Universities Chancellor Terrence Cheng. “This new state-of-the-art facility will have a significant return on investment by attracting a new pool of talent to learn here and teach here."

“With top-tier facilities like this new state-of-the-art Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center, CT State Community College is well positioned to contribute to our workforce pipeline,” said Connecticut Board of Regents Chair Marty Guay.

Tunxis officials said the new center helps fill a critical need in the current labor market, which has manufacturers struggling to find well-trained, qualified staff.

“Today’s event is a reminder of our commitment to serving the community by creating a modern space for education and workforce training in a critical sector,” said CT State Tunxis Campus Chief Executive Officer Darryl Reome.

“This expansion will enable more students from the Farmington Valley and beyond to receive specialized training, opening pathways to certificates and degree programs at Tunxis and Central Connecticut State University."

Some of the training equipment came from other CT State campuses and seven new pieces of machinery were donated by Richard and Marion Leonhard of California-based TRAK Machine Tools - Southwestern Industries.

The event and special gifts for the center and its students were made possible through the support of Precision Metalforming Association of Southern New England and the Tunxis Foundation as reception sponsors, Aerospace Components Manufacturers and New England Spring & Metal Stamping Association as student scholarship and textbook sponsors.

The Town of Farmington celebrated the opening of the center as well, posting images of Wednesday's festivities late Thursday morning.

"This initiative is a major step forward in keeping Connecticut at the forefront of innovation with industry partnerships and a focus on workforce development in our area," wrote the town.

For more information on the new training center and Tunxis Community College in Farmington, click on this link.