New Gene Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skills

Challenge

Recognizing a growing shortage of skilled manufacturing workers across the Capital Region, Hudson Valley Community College set out to expand its Advanced Manufacturing Technology program and strengthen partnerships with industry. The college envisioned more than additional classroom space—it sought a flexible training center that would double enrollment capacity, showcase advanced manufacturing as a rewarding career, support corporate partnerships, and prepare students with the skills employers need today and into the future. The challenge was to accomplish these ambitious goals within a limited budget while creating a facility that could adapt as manufacturing technologies evolve.

Results

The 37,000-square-foot Gene Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skills has become a regional hub for workforce development, innovation, and industry collaboration. Organized around a light-filled central atrium, the building separates machining laboratories from classrooms and CAD labs while creating inviting spaces for collaboration, student exhibits, and corporate engagement. Flexible classrooms, adaptable lab layouts, and dedicated industry partnership spaces support employee training, recruitment, demonstrations, and special events, allowing the facility to evolve alongside advances in manufacturing technology. Careful planning reduced the building footprint by nearly 5,000 square feet without sacrificing program goals, creating an efficient, sustainable facility that maximized the available budget. Today, the Center serves as a bridge between education and industry, preparing graduates for high-demand careers while helping manufacturers build the skilled workforce our region depends on.