Beth Bye

Bye Applauds New Community College-Manufacturer Connection

Selection of three community colleges as ‘manufacturing centers’ links student skills to business needs

State Senator Beth Bye (D-West Hartford) today welcomed the announcement that three Connecticut community colleges have been designated as “manufacturing centers” and will receive millions of dollars in new equipment and classroom upgrades to better prepare students for careers with state-based manufacturers.

As Senate Chairman of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, Sen. Bye has repeatedly said that proper ‘workforce development’—teaching certain skills to help fill open jobs in the Connecticut’s burgeoning manufacturing sector—is one of the fastest and most sensible ways to reduce state unemployment while increasing the productivity and profitability of local manufacturers.

“Over the past year I have met with 17 manufacturers, and almost all of them have complained to me about the lack of qualified machinists and other high-tech job applicants. I told them I’d get to work on fixing that,” Sen. Bye said. “Naugatuck Valley Community College will double its number of manufacturing students in the next two years, then double that again in five years. For the past half-decade, Quinebaug has had 100-percent job placement for its manufacturing graduates. These are where the jobs are. This is where we have to make our investments. And that’s what we’re doing with this manufacturing centers program.”

Sen. Bye’s endorsement came after the state Board of Regents announced today that Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury and Quinebaug Valley Community College in Danielson have been selected as new “manufacturing centers” based on their ability to establish or expand manufacturing technology programs and on their commitment to precision manufacturing.

Funding to upgrade the community colleges was included in the October jobs bill, which passed the legislature on an overwhelming and bipartisan 181-2 vote. The bill includes $17.8 million in state bonding for capital equipment, renovation and expansion. It also includes $2.2 million to expand the precision manufacturing program at Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield; more than 1,000 students have graduated from Asnuntuck’s technology programs.