JCC Vice President of Workforce Development Holger Ekanger and JCC President Dr. Daniel DeMarte cut ribbon on new Industrial and Building Automation Center (February 16, 2023)

Jamestown Community College has cut the ribbon on the opening of its new Industrial and Building Automation Center.

JCC Vice President of Workforce Development Holger Ekanger said the new Center received $1,615,596 in funding for the project which was used to renovate instructional space at the Hultquist Library and for the purchasing of equipment.

He said the equipment within the space will give students the ability to practice with and learn on what today’s industry professionals are using. Additionally, small class sizes of 12 students provide a learning environment supportive of hands-on training.

JCC President Dr. Daniel DeMarte said the college has been working the last three years on offering more non-traditional programs in order to meet local employer’s needs. He said the college has been piloting fast-track programs for the past two years with an 85% completion rate, “Fast track programs are a path to a career that do not necessarily require a two-year degree. Although, the way we’ve designed them, they stack towards a degree. Today, we add two new fast track programs under the newly designated Industrial and Building Automation Center. Under the industrial fast track programs, they include Welding Fundamentals, and that is our newest.”

DeMarte said the other new program is Building Automation Systems Technician.
He said the courses are 75% hands on, “We’re often criticized in this business that our graduates have the book knowledge, but they don’t have the hands-on knowledge. They have to learn that and that’s lost time when an employer hires them in getting them up to speed. So 75% hands on is an attempt to address that in a meaningful way.”

For more information, visit sunyjcc.edu/workforce-advanced-manufacturing