Hudson Valley Community College hosted a grand opening ceremony for the $14.5 million Gene F. Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skills on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019.

Project Background

- last updated 2017

Hudson Valley Community College is building the Gene F. Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skills (CAMS) – a new $14.5 million, 37,000 square foot building designed by Mosaic Associates, a Troy-based architecture firm. When completed (estimated to open in Fall 2019), the center will allow the college to double enrollment in the Advanced Manufacturing Technology (A.O.S.) degree program and meet an urgent workforce demand for skilled employees in the region.

CAMS is envisioned as a one-stop hub to support employee training and recruitment. The building's design provides corporate partners with access to offices and conference space adjacent to faculty offices, student classrooms and labs. Facilities will be available for corporate demonstration purposes, shared training activities, meetings and events that connect the college to its workforce partners more than ever before.

Manufacturing in the Capital Region and Nationwide

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are approximately 900,000 more manufacturing jobs today than in 2010, but the country's manufacturing companies are struggling to hire qualified employees necessary for business and economic growth. By 2020, more than 200,000 new positions are expected for machinists and industrial maintenance technicians nationwide.

The Albany-Schenectady-Troy metropolitan statistical area in 2016 had the fifth fastest-growing manufacturing sector among the nation's largest 100 manufacturing metros, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. The region added 26,300 manufacturing jobs in 2016, up 3.5 percent from the previous year. However, local manufacturing companies struggle to fill open positions and grow operations due to a limited pool of skilled employees within our market.

With the construction of a new Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skills, Hudson Valley is poised to help fill the shortage of well-trained, skilled craftspeople and help manufacturing firms to expand, create new jobs and contribute to economic growth.

Advanced Manufacturing Technology Program

The college's Advanced Manufacturing Technology A.O.S. degree program trains machinists, toolmakers and CNC programmers. It is the only community college training program of its kind within 125 miles, and it has a 100 percent job placement rate for graduates, with nearly all students securing work prior to of graduation.

Currently, 45 students graduate from this program each year, but the lack of additional lab space and necessary equipment on campus prohibits the college from teaching and training more students, making CAMS an essential project for regional industry growth and development.

Capital Campaign

To make CAMS a reality, public sector and private industry investment in is crucial. In early 2015, the Hudson Valley Community College Foundation established a capital campaign committee comprised of industry partners and longtime faculty and set out to raise $3.25 million for construction and equipment.

The Hudson Valley Community College Foundation has secured gifts toward this initiative, including: