BATON ROUGE - Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced that three new expansion projects on campuses within the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) have begun. They include the Baton Rouge Community College in Baton Rouge, the Central Louisiana Technical Community College in Alexandria, and Delgado Community College in New Orleans.

“The fact that we have been able to give the green light for these projects to proceed is a sign of progress for our state and our education system,” said Gov. Edwards. “The growth at our community and technical colleges across Louisiana reflects the need for these schools and the need for expansion of campus classrooms and buildings. These three new facilities will provide more training and ultimately, more opportunities for employment, which is exactly what we want for our students.”

These projects were developed under Act 360 that was created by the Louisiana Legislature in 2013. Under the Act, 29 projects for the LCTCS were authorized and will directly impact campuses in rural and urban areas. The new training centers will cover aviation maintenance, welding, automotive technology, construction, allied health, manufacturing, industrial maintenance and technology, marine transportation, and process and information technology.

“Today more than ever, education and training are essential to securing good paying jobs,” said Monty Sullivan, President of the LCTCS. “These workforce facilities are strategic investments that will provide opportunities for the people of Louisiana. At a time when resources are tight, we are thankful to Governor Edwards for prioritizing these projects. The people in these communities will be the beneficiaries for generations to come.”

The Central Louisiana Technical Community College will build a $21.5 million workforce industrial training campus that will provide important training programs, like welding. It will serve as a hub for the region and offer expanded curriculum programs to meet the advancing workforce needs in the areas of healthcare, welding, industrial maintenance, construction, business, administration and general education. The 50,000 square foot facility will feature modern classrooms, laboratories, a library, shops, student activities and offices.

The Ardendale (formerly known as Smiley Heights) is a 20,000 square foot state-of-the-art Collision Repair Training Technology center that will be constructed at the Baton Rouge Community College. It will train students in sophisticated computer systems that will prepare them for hundreds of jobs throughout the state. It will also include a residential neighborhood, retail establishments and a charter school. Through a partnership with All Star Automotive, an automotive training center will open in the fall of 2016 and will train hundreds of students in the growing field of automotive technology.

Delgado Community College will begin its new construction with a 45,000 square foot Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center. The center will serve 3,000 students enrolled in programs that will support the growing Mississippi River commerce, including transportation/logistics, maritime technology, automotive technology and marine engineering.