Shovels began construction on the outskirts of Andalusia the week of Thursday January. 11 in the Lurleen B. Wallace (LBW) Community College Center for Building Construction.
The facility is an $3.5 million 10,000 square-foot facility that will assist the training needs of the construction industry in the region of the state’s southeast.
Alabama Community College System (ACCS) representatives and local officials and other industry partners broke ground on the construction on the northwest corner of the LBW’s Andalusia campus, which is located between two buildings: the Jeff Bishop Student Center and the Seth Hammett Gymnasium.
The Center for Building Construction includes two labs and one classroom equipped with cutting-edge equipment to prepare a workforce of the future using real-world situations. Students will be trained to earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Building Construction, as well as for Building Construction Associate of Applied Science Degree and also for noncredit training in many different areas within the industry of construction.
“As we track the state of the labor market, as well as five- to ten-year data projections for our region in retirements, growth, and participation rates for labor and retirements, this investment in our communities is all more vital,” said LBW President Dr. Brock Kelley. “We are thrilled to start the construction of our next wave of construction experts in a new facility.”
The Center for Building Construction was recognized as a need-based project after consultation with local public officials, residents as well as workforce partners as well as labor market data and projections of population growth to determine which services to coordinate to better serve the communities, address the needs of industry and business workers and enhance overall student achievement.
Local business Partner, chief operating officer of Wright Bros., LLC, Billy Bergfeld said the center is in complete alignment with the needs of workers in the construction industry.
“For long, we’ve been searching for a location where our employees could be trained across different fields within the industry and I’m convinced that we’ve finally got our wish with LBW’s current training programs as well as this new facility,” Bergfeld said.
“We love a college which listens to us and is responsive, and we hope to work with LBW in any way it can.”
Alabama Community College System Chancellor Jimmy Baker referred to the project as an “step ahead in the direction of LBW.” The Chancellor had a meeting together with the Mayor Earl Johnson one day and talked about the future, saying that the Alabama’s labor participation rate is among the lowest.
“He informed me that the company was looking for skilled workers. About 50 percent of students who graduate from high school have no plans or goals to enhance their education, whether it is in a college or learning a new skill. It is essential to create a pathway to allow students, even in junior high school, to get exposure to working. We will collaborate with the legislature of the state to ensure that each student in public education has access to the opportunities available and what is required to achieve them. They will be able to obtain a certificate in a particular skill or continue with their education but we have to improve our education. If we can do that people who are like LBW president Brock Kelley bring an energy that is a level to this center with the backing of local leaders to begin the process.” Baker said.
The Center for Building Construction is one of the many infrastructure projects on multiple campus sites which will be completed in the coming years thanks to legislatively appropriated funds to fund capital improvements throughout Alabama’s technical and community colleges.
Sen. Josh Carnley feels local community leaders possess both an eye for the future and a desire to succeed.
“Vision and passion” are two distinct words that are when used in isolation, they can be powerful when used together. When I imagine Chancellor Baker and President Kelley as well as other community college administrators You can see the life to the system of community colleges which wasn’t there just a few years ago. Community colleges is able to affect every person’s life, whether teaching a new skill to people in the workforce or for those who want to pursue a higher level of education. As an elected official I find it refreshing to distribute adequate funds to initiatives such as this. I’m happy in the community because we have a resource to support our students.” Carnley said.
State Rep. Matthew Hammett sees the need for students who are not in four-year institutions to receive the right education through the dual-enrollment.
“With the opportunities that are offered to the community and this county and the surrounding area, we will be able train our children. We’ll have a workforce to perform the tasks. I always say that this is a necessity and I’m extremely proud of Dr. Kelley’s vision and tireless work. I’m hoping we can see a lot more accomplished under Sen. Carnley’s terms and mine. I’m not sure if i’ll ever feel more proud of the things we accomplish in the near future than we are now,” Hammett said.
Based on LBW Building Construction Instructor Andrew Meadows the construction industry has experienced an “unprecedented growth” in the last few years. The instructor believes that students will be better prepared to work in the real world after finishing the course in the building.
“Many employers have had to fill the gap in labor that was mentioned earlier. While there have been opportunities to learn and study about the construction industry, they generally have been at the level of universities. While this is a great idea, they do not provide the hands-on education and practical experience that employers are seeking in the present. This is the reason why this place so remarkable it will allow us to provide exactly this. We will be able to provide an education in the traditional classroom, and later implement the learning through the hands-on, one-on-one-training that is specialized and hands-on. We will start to lay the foundation, pile the blocks, and build the ceilings of knowledge that will create an extensive and knowledgeable legacy people,” Meadows said.
City of Andalusia Clerk John Thompson stated the project is “terribly crucial” for the local community.
“We have an exceptional position to tackle the huge gap in the development of our labor force. This project will help reduce that gap and give us the foundation for work. There are a variety of city-related projects that require a steady and highly skilled workforce in the present and in the future. We are looking at the future with anticipation for the progress of this project, and it’s an amazing day for our city. City of Andalusia and LBW Community College,” Thompson said.
Seay Seay & Litchfield (SS&L) was selected as the architect of the construction.
The Center for Building Construction is scheduled to open in the fall of 2024.
The article LBW Community College opens construction of laboratory facility was first published in The Andalusia Star-News.
