Quinebaug Valley Community College Chosen as a Manufacturing Technology Center for Eastern Connecticut

Senator Williams: Center will ensure residents are able to compete for 21st century jobs

BROOKLYN—Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) celebrated the State Board of Regents’ selection of Quinebaug Valley Community College as a Manufacturing Technology Center—one of only three schools selected statewide—for eastern Connecticut. 

“This represents a major victory for manufacturing and jobs in northeast Connecticut,” said Senator Williams. “We often hear from businesses that they want to hire more people but lack well-trained candidates. The education and training provided by QVCC will ensure our residents are able to compete for the future and will ensure the ‘Quiet Corner’ won’t be so quiet anymore.”

The mission of the Center will be to offer a variety of credit and non-credit certificate programs for incumbent workers, displaced workers, returning veterans, technical high school students and traditional college students. It will include a career-focused curriculum specifically designed for entry-level employment and employment advancement in the evolving manufacturing sector of eastern Connecticut. As part of the plan, the Center will offer programs designed to provide high school juniors and seniors with opportunities to explore career paths in manufacturing. Additionally, the Center will coordinate personalized career placement and mentoring programs.

QVCC’s Manufacturing and Technology Center will allow the expansion of programs in advanced manufacturing and precision manufacturing.  QVCC already has strong partnerships with the manufacturing firms in this area.  The Center will have a significant and positive impact on the region’s high unemployment, and provide opportunities for young people and working adults to obtain the skills needed to serve the state’s vital manufacturing sector.

QVCC’s proposal includes tripling the size of their manufacturing lab space—which combined with the ongoing renovations of Harvard H. Ellis Technical High School will create a critical mass of manufacturing training space in eastern Connecticut. The combined efforts of both these schools will lead to trained workers ready to compete for 21st century jobs.