The bid process for construction on the new Center for Advancement of Technical Education (CATE) is complete.

The contractor will be BET Construction of Schriever, Louisiana.

The 26,000 square feet structure will house classrooms, computer labs, a training center, testing center and administrative offices. The additional building will add space for an additional 400 students on the Reserve Campus, actually doubling the space for students in Process Technology.

During the 2013 Legislative session, the Louisiana Legislature passed SB 204, a statewide facilities initiative to improve Louisiana’s Community and Technical College facilities, providing increased training capacity and opportunities for students, business and industry in rural and urban areas across the state.

Signed into law by Governor Jindal, ACT 360 provided $252 million in new campus facilities for community and technical colleges statewide. A private match requirement of 12 percent brought the total to $286 million.  Community and technical colleges had to raise private support from community partners to fund their projects. The support from Industry partners and St. John the Baptist Parish was overwhelming.

Monday is the official start date, and local residents will soon see the site on Airline highway begin to change. Pilings and fill will begin and soon after the foundation will be constructed. The construction is expected to go at a nice pace, with everyone working toward a late fall move in.

The New Center for Advancement of Technical Education (CATE) is a multi-purpose building that will feature workforce development services, a testing center, general education courses, administrative and faculty offices, a placement center and other critical functions that help more men and women in the area find training that fits their skills and interests and leads to financially stable work.

The building in Reserve will allow the campus to boost enrollment in its acclaimed process technology program.

The expansion will also position the campus to provide more customized training to existing workers employed by regional chemical plants and other industrial sites. These programs are in high demand and represent a unique training opportunity in our area.

The job placement record of students who complete two-year associate’s degrees at the Reserve campus underscores the correlation between its training programs and local workforce needs. Curriculums which offer a Technical Diploma have impressive placement rates as well.

The testing center not only offers assistance in placement exams, but also certifications for many of the on campus programs. It is used by Industry for some of their testing and certifications as well.

Completion of the new facility is targeted for December, with a move in date of late December just in time for spring classes that will begin in January.

Penelope Freeman is Campus Dean for South Central Louisiana Technical College. She is at the Reserve Campus. Email her at penelopefreeman@scl.edu.