Austin Community College District (ACC) celebrated the completion of its new Automotive Technology facility at the Round Rock Campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, October 8.
Funded through ACC’s 2022 General Obligation Bond, the new 36,500-square-foot facility more than doubles the space previously dedicated to Automotive Technology at the campus. The expanded space gives students access to modern labs and hands-on learning environments designed to prepare them for an evolving automotive industry.
“Today is about more than square footage and buildings, as important as they may be. It’s about the lives that will be changed because of what happens in that square footage. This new building allows us to expand our automotive program, directly aligned with industry partners who are paying family-sustaining wages. We’re meeting a demand that’s already there, more quickly and effectively,” said ACC Chancellor Dr. Russell-Lowery Hart. “In Central Texas, these automotive jobs can provide a family-sustaining wage that doesn’t just meet the needs of our students and their families today. It can change generations of economic reality.”
The project adds:
- 36,500 square feet of Automotive Technology training space to Round Rock Campus
- Dedicated space for ACC’s partnership with Toyota through the T-TEN program
- Modern automotive labs and hands-on learning spaces
- Space designed to support the evolving needs of the automotive industry, including potential future Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) training
“To see this campus progress, I love this. We’ve always said in Round Rock, we want to be able to live, work, and play. Well, now you can live, work, and play and get your education right here,” said Craig Morgan, Round Rock Mayor. “What ACC is doing will help when companies bring their businesses here, so we can fill those jobs and those roles. ACC does such a wonderful job. It’s been my honor to kind of just watch the growth and expansion of our educational services up in Round Rock.”
The facility also expands opportunities for students to gain practical experience using industry-relevant equipment and technology while working toward credentials that can lead to in-demand automotive careers. ACC’s T-TEN program was recently recognized by Toyota as the nation’s top-performing T-TEN school for student success, highlighting outcomes including graduation, retention, and industry certifications.
“We’re bridging the gap between classroom learning and what employers need. Students need access to the same technology and equipment they’ll encounter in the workplace, and these new facilities give them that opportunity,” said Michael Shoebroek, Automotive Department Chair. “Our success isn’t measured by the size of the facility, but by the students who leave here with the skills, confidence, and experience to build a career.”
Together, these projects will expand ACC’s capacity to provide hands-on training in high-demand fields and help meet the workforce needs of Central Texas.
“The shops and labs portions of the class are the best part. Actually being able to translate what we learn in the classroom to the cars themselves really helps with the learning process,” said Grady Gonzales, ACC T-TEN student. “It creates a real-world scenario that helps prepare you for the future in this field.”
It’s all part of a larger expansion of Applied Technology education at the Round Rock Campus, which includes Semiconductor Training; Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Technology; and Welding Technology expansions that are expected to open in 2027.
For more information about ACC’s 2022 General Obligation Bond projects, visit austincc.edu/bond.
Tags: Applied Technology, Automotive Technology, ribbon cutting, Round Rock Campus
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