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Camden County Technical School’s Gloucester Township Campus launched a new program with the onset of Manufacturing Month this October.

The Camden Board of Commissioners celebrated the manufacturing engineering technology program Oct. 1. Located in Sicklerville, the vo-tech school has nearly 1,400 students in grades 9-12, according to Niche.

A $4.5 million state grant to expand career and technical education at vocational-technical school districts helped fund the new hub. Additionally, the Board of Commissioners invested $1.5 million. The project adds:

• A MET career lab
• A MET design theory lab
• 3 career and technical education related theory/instructional rooms
• A MET simulation lab
• A MET physical science lab
• Large group instruction area
• Related support spaces

The program will focus on the design, support and operations of commonly found integrated systems in the manufacturing sector in the production of high-quality, economically competitive products, the county said. These systems can include Programmable Logic Controls, manual and CNC machining, robots, tools, materials-handling equipment and more.

“The Commissioners and I recognize the vital importance of career and technical education for today’s high school students and are committed to its development to meet the needs of our county and state’s job markets,” Commissioner Jonathan Young said. “This center represents more than just a building; it is a hub of knowledge, creativity, and collaboration. Our mission is to bridge the gap between education and real-world application, ensuring that our students are not only prepared, but are also leaders in manufacturing, and we are well on our way.”

Future proofing

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of industrial engineers is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2023 to 2033 (12%). In New Jersey, BLS puts the annual mean wage for the role at over $108,000.

Commissioner Deputy Director Ed McDonnell said the investments at the Tech School will help build the workforce of the future.

“Providing the access and opportunity for our students to sit in a state-of-the-art classroom and learn about new career paths underscores our commitment to teach and train tomorrow’s workforce,” he said.

The debut comes as more New Jersey students choose to pursue vo-tech learning paths. “This investment is sure to help boost Camden County‘s robust manufacturing industry, which already employs 13,000 people at 510 manufacturing firms that operate within our county,” McDonnell added.

The state funding comes from the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act. Camden County received a $12 million grant from the state and a commitment of funds from the Camden County Commissioners.

“The new Manufacturing Engineering Technology program gives students a pathway to enter a high-demand, high-wage field after high school while presenting area employers with a solution to meet workforce demands,” said Jackie Burke, executive director of the Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools. “I commend Camden County Technical Schools’ leaders and local officials who led a collaborative effort to first secure Bond Act funding for this project, and then commit to ensuring the construction of the new space.

“The curriculum and the business partners involved contribute to a learning experience that is relevant, effective and transformative for the students involved, and the local and state employers who will soon hire them,” Burke added.

Look back

• Camden County Tech campuses break ground on $24M expansion (slideshow)