Groundbreaking ceremony set for new 11,750 sq. ft. tech center at this school’s Petoskey campus

What’s happening: Officials at North Central Michigan College are readying the ceremonial groundbreaking shovels for another celebration as they ready the launch of Phase II of the Career and Technical Education Enhancement (CATEE) initiative. The community is invited to the event beginning at 2 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 3, in the Borra Learning Center Student Commons on NCMC’s Petoskey campus. Brief remarks, light refreshments, and the ceremonial groundbreaking are planned.

What it is: NCMC launched its CATEE project in summer 2024, a two-phase $22 million initiative that will renovate and expand the school’s Jack and Dorothy Harris Health Education and Science Center, raze the school’s 59-year-old Technology Building, and construct an expanded, state-of-the-art Technology Center. It’s expected that the CATEE project will wrap in the fall of 2026.

What’s in a name: A December gift from the Martin and Patricia Jahn Foundation (MAPJF) has secured naming rights for the new technology center, which is now named the Martin Jahn Technology Center. The Jahns are champions of the skilled trades, and the new 11,750 sq. ft. building will be dedicated to technology and trades education.

Speaking of which: As NCMC reimagines its campus, the school has announced partnerships with Industrial Arts Institute (IAI) in Onaway and the Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Educational Service District (COPESD), moving its Computer Numerical Control (CNC) equipment to the former and expanding CNC educational opportunities at both.

Why it’s important: “We are working to build a year-round economy in Northern Michigan so our kids can find meaningful work here at home,” says Sen. John Damoose. “To do that, we need opportunities for advanced trades training that will define the careers of tomorrow. North Central Michigan College is perfectly positioned to help usher in this new economy with world-class educational opportunities. That’s why securing state funding for the CATEE Project was so important.”

Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith.