Tunxis Gets Federal Manufacturing Education Grant

FARMINGTON, CT — Gov Ned Lamont Wednesday announced that Tunxis Community College and the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities College of Technology have received a $7.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to lead the nation’s only "NSF National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing."

The center will partner with leadership teams from Columbus State Community College in Ohio, College of the Canyons in California, Central Community College in Nebraska, and Indian River State College in Florida, as well as collaborators from education, industry, government and private and public organizations from throughout the United States to "operationalize Industry 4.0 initiatives in Connecticut and throughout the nation," Lamont said.

The Governor added, "Advanced manufacturing is a major component of Connecticut’s economic future. Making sure we have a work force prepared to meet the needs of 21st century employers is a top priority for my administration, and this is a critical investment. Connecticut’s community colleges are a great, cost-effective way for those interested in finding a meaningful career to get top-quality training. The new center at Tunxis will be uniquely positioned to contribute to our work force pipeline."

The new center will be located at 21 Spring Lane, adjacent to Tunxis’s Farmington campus. The property, a 44,000 square foot former manufacturing facility, was purchased in 2020 using a combination of new state bond funding and repurposing funds from other projects. Renovation of the facility is expected to begin this summer.

"This is a big deal for Connecticut," said Jane Gates, the interim CSCU president. "The advanced manufacturing technology centers at our community colleges create transformational opportunities for the students they serve – with job placement rates above 90 percent and a rising demand for skilled manufacturing employees. This NSF investment is recognition of the value and effectiveness of our manufacturing programs."

The center will provide educational models and professional development for high school and higher education faculty and create an online repository of resources that can be used for building seamless, stackable credential career pathways in advanced manufacturing. These models will incorporate industry credentials, micro-credentials, badging and certificates that will prepare students for lucrative jobs in advanced manufacturing.

The center will be guided by national leaders from other Advanced Technological Education Centers and projects, as well as by national equity associations to identify successful strategies for recruiting and retaining people from underrepresented communities in the next generation manufacturing workforce.

The center aims address the need for a pipeline of students pursuing careers in advanced manufacturing starting in high school. It will also strengthen career pathways that include robust degree programs at community colleges, that can then transfer, without loss of credit, to university programs.

"We are excited to have this national center at Tunxis, which will play an important role in helping colleges nationwide advance their manufacturing programs and meet the high demand for skilled workers," said Darryl Reome, the Tunxis Community College campus CEO.

Tunxis Community College expects to host a groundbreaking ceremony for the Spring Lane building in coming weeks.