The Waubonsee Community College Board of Trustees officially endorsed a final concept and direction for a new Career and Technical Education (CTE) building at their meeting on Oct. 19.
“Our ability to deliver cutting-edge technical education focused on industry-responsive career pathways is linked to having up-to-date facilities, fixed equipment and educational resources” said Ne’Keisha Stepney, Executive Dean for Business, Technology, and Workforce Education.
“This CTE Building will dramatically and visibly improve educational offerings and provide additional opportunities aligned with the economic needs of manufacturing and advanced technology sectors.”
While the project is still in its early stages, current concepts call for a building that is just over 100,000 square feet, with a projected cost of around $59 million. Positioned on the south end of the college’s Sugar Grove Campus, the building will be visible from Route 47 and serve as a striking welcome to students and visitors.
“We need to position our institution to meet the rigorous challenges of training and educating 21st century technicians — the makers and doers that drive the regional economy and beyond,” Stepney said.
With that goal in mind, the building is set to house Waubonsee’s Auto Body Repair, Automotive Technology, and Welding Technology Programs. The new space will allow those programs to expand in a variety of ways — increased enrollment capacities, increased “time on task” for students, enhanced curricular possibilities, greater opportunity for industry partnerships, and more.
“Our automotive programs are currently running at capacity,” Stepney said. “And we’ve had success with our welding courses at the Plano Campus, but the future labor demand, along with the current demand at the high school level, makes us excited to be able to double our capacity for that program by adding this second location.”
For this project, Waubonsee is working with Demonica Kemper Architects and Pepper Construction Company. It is expected to take roughly two years to complete.
