On February 11th, the new Connecticut State Community College Naugatuck Valley Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center was launched at Western Connecticut State University. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, President of Central Connecticut State University Terrance Cheng, students, and many more joined together for the launch of the program. 

Governor Lamont feels that the growth of the program is necessary as “advanced manufacturing is a major component of Connecticut’s economic future.” The program is an opportunity for those in the field to “meet the needs of the 21st-century employers” and gain important skills for the job path.

The new facility at the WCSU campus is about 3,000 square feet filled with state-of-the-art technology for students to use. The building will hold the chosen 24 students where they will attend for two semesters and earn a total of 31 credits. The students will be able to use those credits towards “engineering technology or technology studies associate degree programs.” (Ct.gov)

Students who have been in the program at other facilities have been given chances at different internships and work opportunities. Many have earned salaries between $18 and $22 per hour from being in the program and have higher chances at pay raises and promotions. 

Alongside the great openings that the program provides for students, it also builds on the skill of people working together and creating solutions to better the future. President Cheng said, “Today is about partnership and systemness. It’s about working together to solve the needs of the communities and the state we serve. I thank everyone who worked collaboratively to make this important launch possible.” WCSU President John B. Clark also gave thanks for the schools and communities coming together so more students can benefit from the advanced resources. On top of the newly launched program, he hopes for more projects to be put in place to continue the growth of students’ education.

The launch at WCSU isn’t only beneficial to students who attend the university, it also provides a great opportunity for those at Naugatuck Valley Community College. The CEO of the Danbury campus of NVCC, Lisa Dresdner, said thanks to WCSU for their willingness to collaborate. “We are delighted that our partnership with Western Connecticut State University enables us to provide such an amazing facility for our students to achieve their goals, and we are grateful for the state’s support of this partnership and the Linde commitment to giving back to the community which supports our Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center students through scholarships.” By expanding the program to schools like WCSU and others in the future, anyone in the manufacturing field will have great opportunities and support for the career path.

For those interested to learn more about manufacturing centers, visit ct.edu/makeithere.