Lab Development Funding Provided to Support the Much-Needed Addition of Industry Professionals to the Local Workforce
FORT COLLINS, Colo., Dec. 12, 2018— Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEIS), a global leader in highly engineered, precision power conversion, measurement, and control solutions and Front Range Community College (FRCC), Colorado’s largest community college, today announced a partnership to help fund the college’s new Center for Integrated Manufacturing(CIM).
AE will invest $200,000 in cash and equipment to fund the creation of the Advanced Energy Electronics Lab at the CIM. The 27,000 square-foot CIM facility will offer students a state-of-the-art lab and classroom facilities to enhance their learning experience, allowing them to gain a hands-on career understanding prior to entering the workforce full-time. In addition to this donation, AE will provide students internships, scholarships and job opportunities.
Meeting the Need
“There is a shortage of advanced manufacturing professionals in Colorado’s workforce,” said Andy Dorsey, president of Front Range Community College. “In partnerships with companies like Advanced Energy, we can educate skilled workers to help the state economy thrive.”
Around 6,000 manufacturers currently operate in Colorado, employing 5.5 percent of the state’s workforce. These companies also account for 93 percent of the state’s exports and 7.3 percent of the state’s Gross Domestic Product.
“Front Range Community College is committed to manufacturing and engineering technology,” said U.S. Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, who visited manufacturer Hirsh Precision Products in Niwot with FRCC officials earlier this year. “Colorado is leading the way in encouraging high-quality career and technical education programs to train the next generation of workers for success in the 21st century.”
“I’m thrilled Advanced Energy is partnering with Front Range Community College to create the new high-tech Center for Integrated Manufacturing,” said U.S. Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado. “This partnership will provide the skills necessary to build a world-class manufacturing workforce right here in Colorado, and I’m excited to see the results of this new program. The need for a skilled workforce is something employers around Colorado talk about – this addresses the need.”