QVCC Breaks Ground For New Manufacturing Tech Center

Local and state legislators, along with teachers and students, gathered at Quinebaug Valley Community College on Friday for a ground-breaking ceremony celebrating the start of work on a new campus advanced manufacturing technology center.
The $8.5 million project, approved by the state Bond Commission in 2012, will add a 10,000-square-foot single-story building on to the rear of the Danielson campus and serve as a teaching facility for students enrolled in the college’s advanced manufacturing certificate program.
The program, begun in 2012, has graduated 95 students so far and has a 95 percent employee placement rate.
“This is a major defining moment in the history of the college,” President Carlee Drummer said.
“QVCC will be manufacturing a revolution.”
The center includes classroom space, two offices, a conference room, mechatronics and metrology labs, tool crib, machine shop lab, as well as mechanical and computer support rooms.
The building heating and cooling system will use geo-thermal energy and is expected to begin welcoming students in 10 months.
Several current and former state lawmakers were praised for their efforts in obtaining the necessary state bond money for the center, including U.S. Rep., Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, state Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Killingly and former state Sen. Donald Williams.