KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — It was a big day in Kalamazoo on Friday, September 30 as hundreds from the community turned out for the Groundbreaking of the new $100-million dollar Career Technical Education center at the corner of Sprinkle Road and I-94.
It will be called the Kalamazoo Career Connect Campus. And it was quite the celebration on Friday as Principal Isaac Carter announced their plans.
“With 160,000 square feet of space containing 11 industry pathways in over 20 course areas, the chance for our county students to see what they can be is about to get a massive upgrade,” said Carter during the groundbreaking of the new facility which officials hope will put Kalamazoo out in front of the pack.
KRESA’s Tom Zhart says that five years of planning and collaboration resulted in a world class facility design and curriculum.
“Together we designed a centralized hub of career learning that prioritizes equitable access, and inclusion for all students,” said Zhart on the new facility which is scheduled to take two years to construct.
The Governor’s office estimates the state will need 520-thousand new skilled tradesmen by 2028 to keep the Michigan economy humming.
If successful, officials say the new facility will directly target some of Kalamazoo’s biggest problems such as the housing shortage, lack of manpower in skilled trades all the way down to combating poverty by putting people back to work.
Both the land and the money for construction came from an anonymous donor.
reporting by: John McNeill
images and captions below provided by: John McNeill
KRESA officials asked students to join them in the actual groundbreaking.
The big top wasn’t big enough to accommodate all of the people who turned out for the event, many of whom had some role in getting the project off the ground.
This field in between the Wings Event Center and I-94 is where the new facility will be built.
