CCBC wins $3 million grant to strengthen manufacturing

CCBC is in a unique position to aid the local manufacturing community thanks to a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The funds are designated for the development of a Maryland Center for Manufacturing Educational Excellence.

The four-year grant helps CCBC strengthen the manufacturing sector of Maryland’s economy by developing and adopting educational programs that build a world-class workforce. In addition, the grant will assist the manufacturing community in enhancing the public image of manufacturing careers.

Grant objectives include creating a comprehensive strategy to increase the number of qualified manufacturing technicians needed to meet local workforce demands and to improve the technical and workplace support skills of those workers.

CCBC will work with the College of Southern Maryland, Harford Community College, Wor-Wic Community College and the Regional Manufacturing Institute (RMI) in this education effort. RMI will establish a Web-based portal to serve as a central resource for accessing services and information related to manufacturing statewide. In addition, a number of private industry trade associations, other secondary and post-secondary educational institutions and government agencies will participate in supporting the program’s goals and activities.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Rep. C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger, County Executive Jim Smith and Aris Melissaratos, secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, sent congratulatory remarks to college officials, expressing their delight with CCBC for receiving the grant and recognizing the positive impact the center would have on the manufacturing community.

The new Maryland Center for Manufacturing Educational Excellence will focus its energies in four critical areas: development of flexible, modular educational programs; technical and workplace support skill assessments; enhanced recruitment to manufacturing careers; and a Web-based manufacturing portal through which all stakeholders can access information and services.

CCBC’s School of Applied and Information Technology is responsible for carrying out activities and work completed under the grant. For more information, contact Michael Netzer at 443-840-4078.