Jefferson Breaks Ground on Advanced Manufacturing and Information Technology Center

Published on Dec 15, 2017

Louisville, KY – Jefferson Community & Technical College is changing the landscape of education in Louisville with a new structure that will help supply the demand for a larger skilled workforce in our community. Today, Jefferson President Dr. Ty Handy joined Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet Secretary Hal Heiner and other dignitaries in breaking ground on the new Advanced Manufacturing and Information Technology (AMIT) Center.

The center, estimated to be 50,000 square feet, is tentatively slated to open in Fall 2020. The $24 million construction is funded, in part, by private, municipal, and college contributions in addition to $15 million committed to the college by the Work Ready Skills Advisory Committee created by Governor Matt Bevin.

AMIT will provide learning space for a number of technical programs including Industrial Maintenance, Computer Information Technology, Computer Manufacturing, and Applied Process Technology which are currently located on the college’s Technical Campus. This will allow Jefferson to renovate the Technical Campus and expand its automotive programs which bring in students from across the country.

“Jefferson has established itself as the regional education hub for Kentucky’s future workforce, and we are excited to grow that footprint through the AMIT Center,” said Handy. “Our state, local and business leaders invested in Jefferson because of our ability to produce a significant return for our economy. We thank them for supporting Jefferson and opening doors to greater opportunities for our students.”

The construction of the AMIT Center comes at an exciting time for technical education. Earlier this year, Secretary Hal Heiner announced the state-funded Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship (WRKS). It’s an effort to push more Kentuckians toward short-term certification programs that can quickly connect them to high-paying, high-demand careers in the state.

“Millions of dollars are leaving Louisville and Kentucky because business can’t find those with the skillsets needed to compete in the 21st Century marketplace,” said Jim Lancaster, chairman of Jefferson’s Board of Directors and President and CEO of Lantech. “I’m encouraged to see both the public and private sectors working together to come up with meaningful solutions.”

“This facility is good news for local and regional employers who desperately need more skilled workers,” said KCTCS President Jay K. Box. “We appreciate Governor Bevin, Secretary Heiner and the legislature’s focus on making career education a priority. The programs offered at the AMIT Center are covered under the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship, which means eligible students can earn certification tuition free.”

Jefferson has the largest amount of program offerings in Kentucky covered in the WRKS.