Waterbury, Conn. – Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced on June 25 that Naugatuck Valley Community College will receive $825,000 towards the purchase of additional manufacturing equipment within its Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center.

The money is part of $7.3 million in bonding, which the commission approved for use by three community college advanced manufacturing certificate programs that started up last fall. NVCC graduated its first cohort of manufacturing students, awarding 113 certificates this spring.

NVCC will use its newly-awarded money to purchase equipment such as a deep draw press and an electrical discharge machine, which is used extensively by manufacturers in Waterbury and Danbury. NVCC will also purchase CNC simulators and a tool-sharpening machine, which will save time and money spent shipping out tools to be sharpened.

Gov. Malloy said he considers the bond money an investment into the economic health of the state by building the workforce that attracts manufacturers to our state.

“Time and again, I hear from manufacturers about their need to have a trained, skilled workforce that can fill some of these in-demand manufacturing positions, many of which are good paying jobs,” said Governor Malloy. “To compete, we need to show these manufacturers that our workforce has the skills they need and that we are training our students for the real-world jobs they want to fill.”

The success of NVCC’s manufacturing program was highlighted during Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary’s speech given during his recent appointment as Vice Chair of U.S. Conference of Mayors Advanced Manufacturing Task Force this month. Mayor O’Leary cited the linkage between education, economic development and workforce development. He highlighted NVCC’s achievement in building a state-of-the-art manufacturing center that opened last year, and his success in drawing nine new manufacturing firms to Waterbury.

“This Task Force was established to promote and share ideas and innovations among cities across our country in an effort to rebuild and expand manufacturing,” Mayor O’Leary said.  “It is an opportunity to showcase the good work that we are doing here, and across the nation in cities like Lansing, Michigan and Beaverton, Oregon.”

NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis said she is proud NVCC has formed such positive connections with the manufacturing community, and remains grateful for the recognition and support shown to the College over the last year.

“We are delighted to receive funding to support training required by manufacturers in the communities we serve: the present and future employers of our students,” NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph. D., said. “Responding to the Renaissance of manufacturing in Connecticut and supporting efforts on behalf of our workforce is a top priority for NVCC and we are grateful to Gov. Malloy for his leadership and for his support of our Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center.”