News
Groundbreaking for New Welding Tech Building
September 10, 2024
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on Sept. 6 for a new welding technology building at Central Community College-Grand Island.
CCC administrators said that once completed, the 12,500-square-foot facility will house 48 multi-process booths, 16 oxy-acetylene welding stations, two classrooms and a dedicated grinding room. The cost of the project is $5.75 million and is expected to be completed in early 2026.
“More importantly, it will have a more efficient layout to safely maximize the number of students as well as provide ventilation and equipment that are better suited for a modern welding facility,” said CCC-Grand Island President Dr. Marcie Kemnitz.
Kemnitz said the new welding technology building will benefit more than just CCC students.
“One aspect that sets our welding building apart is that along with our college-age students, we serve about 60 dual credit high school students from area schools, including Grand Island Senior High and Grand Island-Northwest, who come to our campus for their welding experience,” Kemnitz said.
K.C. Belitz, director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development addressed the gathering. He praised CCC for its focus on the community, which has resulted in more than 90 percent of graduates staying in its service area after graduation.
“Economic development today is all about workforce development and community development and giving our students, our kids, the opportunities to stay here and build a life and raise a family,” said Belitz, who also had a word for the welding students who attended the ceremony. “As a state, as a community, we need and want you to find careers here, not just a job, but a really high-paying, high-skill career with a future.”
CCC President Dr. Matt Gotschall thanked the taxpayers in the college’s service area for providing a portion of the funding. The state of Nebraska has also allocated funds from the American Rescue Plan.
“We appreciate being able to show physically how that is invested back into community to help grow the workforce and to have some more people that will be living and working and providing valuable benefits and opportunities here,” said Gotschall. “I also want to thank the city of Grand Island for investing in some underground work, some infrastructure and paving.”
Gotschall said that there are 123 welding technology students at the Grand Island Campus this semester, 10 percent of which are female and more than 10 percent are Hispanic/Latino.