New advanced manufacturing training center coming to Alabama

A new high-tech training center is coming to Bishop State Community College in Mobile.

A groundbreaking was held Wednesday morning for the $17 million Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) to help train a workforce that will meet the needs of businesses and industries in the Mobile community.

“It’s an amazing day for Bishop State,” said Reginald Sykes, president of Bishop State Community College. “Bishop State will have the only training facility of its kind in this region. This will benefit not only our students but also Mobile County and this region.”

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The AMC is designed for students, incumbent workers and people looking for a career change. Students will be offered training in areas supported by area businesses, such as electronic engineering technology, process technology, industrial maintenance and robotics.

“We’re going to be training for those manufacturing-type jobs, both from an operational standpoint and from an advanced technical nature,” said David Felton, dean of Workforce and Economic Development at Bishop State. “All of those types of positions that we really need to be able to train our workforce.”

The AMC is designed for students, incumbent workers and people looking for a career change. (contributed)

The $17 million Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) will allow the college to help train a workforce that will meet the needs of businesses and industries in the Mobile community. (contributed)

Bishop State says several area companies contributed insight into the programs and equipment to be offered at the AMC.(contributed)

Students will be offered training in areas supported by area businesses such as electronic engineering technology, process technology and industrial maintenance such mechanical fluid power and robotics. (contributed)

Area companies contributed insight into the programs and equipment to be offered at the AMC.

“As I think about Austal, Airbus and the countless other businesses that we have that need the workforce, the students that come out of here will be feeding that,” said Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson. “If we have the right students, then the businesses will locate here.”

Bishop State is also building a new $4 million health sciences facility in the old library. It will provide state-of-the-art simulation teaching labs for the college’s nursing and physical therapy programs. (contributed)

Bishop State is also building a new $4 million health sciences facility in the old library. It will provide state-of-the-art simulation teaching labs for the college’s nursing and physical therapy programs. (contributed)

Bishop State is also building a new $4 million health sciences facility in the old library. It will provide state-of-the-art simulation teaching labs for the college’s nursing and physical therapy programs. (contributed)

Bishop State also broke ground Wednesday on a new $4 million health sciences facility in the old library. The building will provide state-of-the-art simulation teaching labs for the college’s nursing and physical therapy programs.

“This will allow skills development and real-time feedback on students’ clinical experience,” Sykes said. “This will help support the healthcare facilities in our region. I can’t wait for students to start training in these amazing facilities.”

Sykes said the AMC should be completed in about a year and a half, while the new health sciences facility should be finished in about a year.