Cabarrus County residents approved the 2014 Rowan-Cabarrus Community College bond referendum for an Advanced Technology Center with more than 64 percent of the vote in November.

“We’re excited about the voter confidence from the community to make that happen,” said Dr. Carol. S. Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus. “I want to thank Cabarrus County voters for their support. The $9 million bond referendum, along with the $2 million in cash from the commission, will fund the majority of a new Advanced Technology Center for the college.”

Applications of advanced technology – from automated manufacturing, logistics, warehousing and 3D printing to cyber security and information assurance – are evolving as growth areas for existing businesses, facilitating a regional culture of entrepreneurship and bringing new technology-centric companies to the area.

“We believe that this is the next step forward for our region – advanced technology and advanced manufacturing. An Advanced Technology Center will be a flagship to help attract employers to the region,” said Spalding. “This will help us meet the needs of the community and bring a higher level of training to Cabarrus County, which is a big part of economic development. With the announcements of Alevo and Gordon Food Service coming to Cabarrus County, we’re going to have more and more employment, and we need to have the capacity to educate the people that live in the region.”

The Advanced Technology Center, a 60,000-square-foot classroom and lab building, will address training needs for companies with high technology demand and emerging jobs through industry-recognized certifications and hands-on skills training in multiple disciplines including, but not limited to: Information Technologies, welding, machining, HVAC, electronics and electrical engineering technologies, mechanical engineering, hydraulics, pneumatics, nanotechnology, advanced manufacturing and more.