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Groundbreaking held for HVCC North expansion in Malta

Officials held a groundbreaking for HVCC's planned STEM Education Center in Malta
Lucas Willard
/
WAMC
Officials held a groundbreaking for HVCC's planned STEM Education Center in Malta

Officials broke ground Wednesday on Hudson Valley Community College’s STEM Education Center in Malta.

HVCC’s STEM Education Center is part of the $12.5 million HVCC North project.

The planned more-than-14,000-square foot center will be located next to the TEC-SMART Campus in Malta, just down the road from semiconductor manufacturer GlobalFoundries.

The new building set for completion in the fall of 2023 will feature state-of-the-art lab space and classrooms.

The goal is to train more students to meet the region’s industry needs in areas like high-tech manufacturing and healthcare sciences.

HVCC President Roger Ramsammy addressed the crowd.

“Together with our faculty experts and industrial partners, our new and enhanced facilities at HVCC North will enable us to provide a greater pipeline of high-skilled to the growing industries of New York State,” said Ramsammy.

Existing TEC-SMART classrooms will also see upgrades.

Congressman Paul Tonko, one of the invited speakers at Wednesday’s event, said he’s working to secure a $2 million federal grant to support HVCC North.

“If successful, our grant request of $2,065,000 will go towards state-of-the-art lab equipment, cutting-edge technology equipment, all sorts of classroom opportunities for equipment to fill the space that will be created,” said Tonko.

GlobalFoundries, which is planning to build a second fab at its Luther Forest location, is contributing $500,000 toward the HVCC North project that it hopes will train students for local jobs.

Tonko said he’s optimistic about passing the COMPETES Act, which if reconciled would provide $52 billion for domestic semiconductor manufacturing.

“I know with GlobalFoundries the whole COMPETES bill is essential to them. And I’ve talked with some of the members this morning. We’re working on meeting that deadline, which is very, very soon,” said Tonko.

SUNY Senior Vice-Chancellor for Community Colleges and the Education Pipeline Johana Duncan-Portier said the TEC-SMART campus for early college high schoolers has drawn the attention of education officials and industries across the world.

“There are folks in Florida, Washington, and they say, ‘Oh, we heard about the work going on with Hudson Valley Community College and its many partners,” said Duncan-Portier.

Also attending was State Senator Daphne Jordan.

“This is a great day for all of us, because as taxpayers we will reap the economic benefits of the industries benefiting from a trained and available workforce,” said Jordan.

Saratoga County is among the fastest growing areas in the entire state.

State Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh, a fellow Republican, credited the county’s economic success to its educated workforce.

“It’s really because we’ve got a tremendous, tremendous, well-educated workforce and I think the expansion and what this will achieve is just a further enhancement of that,” said Walsh.

Hudson Valley Community College says the expansion will serve 1,100 students in more than 30 programs. Today, more than 1,500 students drive through Saratoga County from surrounding areas to attend classes at HVCC’s main campus in Troy.

Democratic State Assemblyman John McDonald, a licensed pharmacist, said the investments at HVCC will help address a workforce shortage in the healthcare industry.

“This shortage is real. We need to bring the resources to bear,” said McDonald.

Presenting a plaque to President Ramsammy, Republican State Senator James Tedisco recognized HVCC North groundbreaking with a 2022 State Senate Empire Award.

“Congratulations and great success,” said Tedisco.

Lucas Willard is a reporter and host at WAMC Northeast Public Radio, which he joined in 2011.
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