Linn-Benton Community College cut the ribbon Tuesday on a newly renovated Career Technical Education facility. The programs at the center, which is located on LBCC's main campus in Albany, include skills sought after by many employers in the area, such as welding, machining, and industrial fabrication.
The buildings are bright and airy, and are meant to be a change from a stereotypical dingy, dirty machine shop. For instance, one of the buildings features floor-to-ceiling windows. The large windows are as much for the benefit of students outside the building as those inside, said Linn-Benton President Greg Hamann. “So that people can see it, and be interested in it, and come to a better understanding of the role that these kinds of skills and programs play in our communities to help us be stronger communities with a stronger economy,” he said.
The $20 million project was funded in part by a voter-approved bond measure passed in 2014. According to the college, the funding mix also included money from the Oregon legislature, the city of Albany, and local companies that want to ensure they have a viable workforce.
The grand opening was hailed by Oregon Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle, who told the audience that she benefited from a community college education, where teachers encouraged her to dream big. “That’s what you’re providing for people who come in to those doors who never dream that they could have these middle and high wage jobs," she said.
The CTE program at LBCC also provides "real-life training that graduates these kids where they can come into our apprenticeship programs or they can go into your businesses and be the workforce that you need, without crippling debt,” said Hoyle.
