Columbia, MD, Nov. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Howard County Executive Calvin Ball announced a $10 million funding commitment to Howard Community College (HCC) to help the institution build a workforce development and skilled trades center.
Dr. Ball made the announcement during his "State of the County" address, which he delivered on HCC's campus in the Peter and Elizabeth Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center. The funding is just under 25% of the $42 million cost for the state-of-the-art training facility, which will provide students with practical training in automotive repair and production, manufacturing, mechatronics, green technology, cybersecurity, construction trades, and more.
"This center will be a beacon of innovation and increase our economic vitality statewide," said Dr. Ball in his remarks. "I want to thank President Daria Willis and her entire leadership team for their vision to expand learning and workforce opportunities."
Billed by officials as an anti-poverty, racial equity initiative, HCC launched an $11 million capital campaign to support funding for the project targeting a 2026 completion date. The trades center will be the first of its kind in the county and will directly address a growing statewide shortage of skilled workers in trades and technical fields.
"We are immensely grateful to Dr. Ball and our neighbors throughout Howard County who see this center as a resource for all communities," said HCC President Daria J. Willis. "Residents will soon have a clear vision of lucrative options for career access and entrepreneurial development, regardless of their ethnicity, race, class, or geography. We are absolutely thrilled about this announcement."
Howard Community College was recently named among the nation's top two-year colleges by Niche, an online college selection and data resource for families. HCC ranked #92 among all two-year institutions and the top community college in the Baltimore-metropolitan area. HCC enrolls more than 20,000 credit and non-credited students of all ages from more than 104 countries and yields more than $343 million in economic impact as one of Howard County's largest employers.
To learn more about the Workforce Development & Skilled Trades Center capital campaign, please visit our website.
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ABOUT HCC
Since 1970, Howard Community College (HCC) has been a preferred college choice for students and families in Howard County, Maryland. A public community college, HCC offers associate degree and certificate programs, as well as workforce development training and continuing education classes, to more than 26,000 credit and noncredit students each year. HCC received the 2019 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s only presidential-level honor for performance excellence in organizations.
