Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) has announced plans to grow its automotive technician training program with a $7 million expansion of the Advanced Automotive Technology Center at Western Campus, located in Parma, Ohio. Tri-C is hosting a groundbreaking ceremony for the project on Sept. 25.
The expansion will include a 13,300-square-foot addition with 10 automobile lifts, offering more opportunity for hands-on training. The space will also include additional classrooms, a conference room and a student lounge. The school expects construction to be completed summer 2019.
“The expansion provides room to grow for an in-demand program that trains and connects students to high-paying jobs,” said Alex Johnson, president of Tri-C. “The Advanced Automotive Technology Center represents an investment in the workforce of tomorrow in Northeast Ohio.”
According the Tri-C, the school’s Automotive Technology program has reported growth in enrollment, graduation and job placement rates over the past several years. Graduates of the program earn an Associate of Applied Science degree. The program also offers two corporate programs — Ford’s Automotive Student Service Educational Training (ASSET) and the General Motors Automotive Service Educational Program (GM ASEP) — that link students to jobs with the auto industry giants.
The expansion project is possible due to voter approval of Issue 61, which raised $227.5 million for the College to create new instructional space, keep pace with changing technology and address decades of wear and tear on buildings. The Automotive Technology Center expansion joins other Tri-C Western Campus projects launched this year, including a new STEM Center and Simulation Village, part of the KeyBank Public Safety Training Center.
