When Elgin Community College breaks ground on its $80 million Manufacturing and Technology Center in September, it will be filling a void that’s been growing since before the pandemic, school President David Sam said.
With the supply chain is crucial so crucial to the economy, it is no surprise that “manufacturing is back big time,” Sam said during a presentation to the Elgin City Council this past week.
“It’s not going away,” he said. “What we are doing now will position us to respond to the needs of this community for years to come. If we don’t respond, companies in this area will move out.”
The 150,000-square-foot center being planned will be built at the northwest corner of Spartan Drive and McLean Boulevard. ECC purchased some of the site for $937,500 in 2020 and the rest in December, when it bought the adjacent property, formerly occupied by D Hangout Bar and Grill, for about $1.4 million.
About $55 milllion of the $80 million pricetag will be funded with general oblication bonds the school plans to sell, Sam said. The rest will come from reserve funds and state grant money, he said.
No property tax increase will be needed, Sam said. If all goes according to plan, construction should be complete by August 2026.
Sam said the school has seen such an increase in students interested in training for manufacturing careers that they now have a waiting list for classes.
Cathy Taylor, dean of Sustainability, Business, and Career Technologies, told the council ECC needs to make sure it has enough space and equipment to keep the manufacturing program thriving and growing.
“We wanted to develop additional courses, and we also wanted to develop training,” Taylor said. “As a career tech education program, we are responsible for making sure our programs are educating students for today and the future. That means our programs must be relevant to our industry needs.”
ECC’s career programs help fill a “middle-skills job gap,” she said.
“What that essentially means is you don’t necessarily need a four-year degree to get some of these jobs, but you do need some education,” she said. “The days of graduating high school and going straight to a manufacturing company are gone.”
The new Manufacturing and Technology Center will help the college expand its current programs and create new ones that will serve more students, Taylor said. It will help close the skills gap and boost economic growth throughout the region, she said.
Mayor Dave Kaptain said it’s an exciting project for the college and the city.
“I know it’s taken a long time looking at getting the property and putting the vision together. This really impacts growth in the economy and brings business to Elgin,” he said.
Kaptain also recognized Sam in advance of his pending retirement after 17 years with ECC and presented him with a key to the city.
“Your support of ECC has been really meaningful to us,” Sam said.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
