Courtesy HVCC
Ground was broken in late June on the construction of a building next to the TEC-SMART facility, close to the GlobalFoundries compound in Malta.
It will be located at the Hudson Valley Community College North extension center located in New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s Saratoga Technology and Energy Park in Malta.
Once completed, the new two-story, 14,500-square-foot building will include state-of-the-art labs for anatomy, biology, chemistry, microbiology, and physiology, as well as classrooms, student support space, and offices to serve approximately 1,100 students.
The center is one part of the college’s $12.5 million HVCC North expansion project, which includes New York state investment of approximately $8.5 million. In combination with renovations to the college’s existing Training and Education Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing and Alternative and Renewable Technologies TEC-SMART facility, the new STEM Education Center is a key component of the college’s plans to increase access to education and workforce training opportunities through new facilities, technology, and instruction.
HVCC North, which is expected to be completed in Fall 2023, will create the space and resources needed for more than 30 degree and certificate programs, as well as non-credit, short-term workforce and professional education offerings.
It will also broaden education and workforce training opportunities in highly specialized and growing fields of healthcare, STEM, and skilled trades. HVCC North will allow the college to train hundreds of graduates and address urgent industry needs—while keeping the workforce local and providing a significant economic boost for the Capital Region as the college trains a larger share of the workforce faster.
“By leaning into critical fields such as science and technology, we will provide New Yorkers with the skills they need to compete in today’s dynamic and ever-changing job market,” said Gov. Kathy Hochul. “As we rebuild our economy, projects like this will help ensure that New York remains the most business and worker-friendly state in the nation.”
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said workforce development “is key to building a skilled talent pool for STEM jobs as New York state becomes a growing hub for semiconductors and other key industries. HVCC North’s state-of-the-art of facilities will give students access to jobs of the future that we are creating now and for the future in the Empire State.”
The project was supported by a $2.5 million Empire State Development capital grant recommended by the Capital Region Economic Development Council. Additionally, major contributions to the project’s funding have been made by SUNY ($6 million) and Saratoga County ($1.5 million), as well as organizations including GlobalFoundries, Northern Borders, and the Hearst Foundation.
Last summer, GlobalFoundries announced a $500,000 gift toward the project that will create a Workforce Training and Apprenticeship Center at HVCC North. The gift will help upgrade the college’s existing facilities and create new ones, including an advanced Radio Frequency/Vacuum Technology Laboratory, an innovative Mechatronics laboratory, and the modernization of the Clean Room Laboratory currently located at TEC-SMART.
U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko has also named the HVCC North project as one of the community funding projects that he recently submitted for funding of $2,1 million to the House Committee on Appropriations for federal funding contributions.
“HVCC has long been a key partner in the efforts to turn our Capital Region into a global hub for innovation and STEM education, and I’m proud to stand alongside local leaders to celebrate the expansion of HVCC’s North campus,” he said. “This project will enhance workforce training opportunities, increase enrollment capacity for high-demand health science, STEM, and skilled trades programs, and prepare HVCC graduates to embark on careers in our region’s most exciting emerging industries.”