WEST BEND — Moraine Park Technical College (MPTC) held their official groundbreaking ceremony for the new Advanced Manufacturing Center at their West Bend campus on Thursday.
The Advanced Manufacturing Center is the third, and the largest, of MPTC’s four referendum projects, which were approved during the 2022 fall election. It will include a 40,000-foot addition to the campus.
“I have worked at ACI Industries for five years with various roles and responsibilities, and it is because of my time in Moraine Park’s CNC/Tool and Die Technologies program that I was able to succeed so early in my career,” said Isaac Schrage, production manager at ACI Industries and 2019 MPTC alumnus. “I’ve come back to campus from time to time, and I am always proud to see the constant evolution of the program and equipment used. Adding robotics to the West Bend Campus as part of this project is a win for students and a win for employers.”
According to the release, the project will be constructed in two phases. In phase one, a Manufacturing, Automation and Robotics Lab will be added to support advanced manufacturing, welding, metal fabrication and robotics degree programs and apprenticeships.
Once phase one is complete, the lab will allow the West Bend campus to add seven new manufacturing programs, which will help fill workforce gaps over the next decade. Expected completion of phase one is in December.
“As we grow year after year, so do our needs to build a pipeline of talent,” said Anna McDermott, director of operations at Milwaukee Tool. “Culture and people are our bookends, and we want to invest in the talent in our community. We are proud to be a part of this project—congratulations to all on a vision coming to life.”
To reduce the burden on taxpayers, the Moraine Park Foundation is spearheading a capital campaign, with a goal of raising $2 million to support the campus expansion.
“The Moraine Park Foundation is currently connecting with district partners to help fund the equipment needs,” said the release. “To date, the College has received $550,000 in pledges.”
Construction on phase two of the project, which includes a reconfiguration of the main campus entrance, is set to begin in spring 2025.
“This project did not come without massive hurdles,” said Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann. “Higher education is changing in ways we have not seen in our lifetimes, and the vision President Baerwald brought for this project will create unprecedented opportunities for future generations.”