If you are in the vicinity of Rochester on Thursday evening, make plans to spend a little time in the city for a celebration.
Great Bay Community College’s new Advance Technology & Academic Center (ATAC), Rochester
Between 5 and 7 pm, Great Bay Community College will celebrate its new Advanced Technology & Academic Center (better known as ATAC), which is located at the Lilac Mall. More than a education center, it is going to help put the Seacoast on a flight path to success, as the area becomes known as an emerging composites region.
The ATAC is the largest single project under the statewide Advanced Manufacturing Partnership in Education initiative (AMPedNH), formed by the Community College System of New Hampshire under the federal TAACCCT-NH grant. AMPed NH is sponsored by a $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration.
Great Bay’s advanced composites manufacturing curriculum at the ATAC was developed to fit the needs of area manufacturers — among those, Albany Engineered Composites and Safran Aerospace Composites. These two companies are co-locating in a new manufacturing plant at the Granite State Business Park. The plant, set to open in a couple of months, is being built by Safran and is expected to add about 500 jobs to the local market. Representatives of both companies will be available to talk about the advanced composites manufacturing industry and opportunities within the region.
“This center is a wonderful educational resource for anyone interested in what Great Bay has to offer,” said college President Will Arvelo. “Now residents of Strafford County and beyond can conveniently take a course at Rochester – whether it be a general education or liberal arts course or something from a specific field – and those seeking training opportunities in advanced composites manufacturing now have a state-of-the art facility practically in their backyard.”
Gov. Maggie Hassan will attend, as well as other officials. If you attend, you can enter to win free tuition for one year – a value of up to $5,000. Representatives from the College Admissions, Financial Aid and WorkReady NH can answer your questions.
For more information on the free event, visit www.gbrochester.com or call 1-800-522-1194.
See you there.
Lorna Colquhoun
Communications Director
Division of Economic Development