In September, Edmonds Community College will open its new 70,000-square-foot building aimed at meeting the region’s increasing demand for employees who are trained in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and nursing.

The college will host a public ribbon cutting and grand opening celebration on Thursday, Sept. 17. All are welcome to attend.

The Puget Sound Regional Council has projected the region will grow by about 1.8 million people between now and 2050, and about 1.2 million jobs will be created. Many will require workforce skills in STEM.

“Edmonds CC’s new 70,000-square-foot building will serve the region’s increasing demand for employees who are trained in STEM and nursing,” said Edmonds CC President Dr. Amit B. Singh. “Our students will have access to a state-of-the-art facility and top-quality STEM education that meets industry needs.”

A growing demand for STEM education has resulted in increased enrollment in Edmonds CC’s STEM courses, the college said. The new building will accommodate the college’s need for more allied health, nursing, physics, chemistry, engineering, and math classrooms, as well as labs and offices.

Features of the STEM and nursing building:

• Home to pre-engineering curriculum incorporating training for jobs with major employers like Boeing

• New nursing simulation lab to give students clinical experience

• 40-foot depth of laboratory area includes space for three teaching labs

• Active learning spaces shared by all departments to facilitate student engagement and collaboration

• Common spaces for individual student or group study

The Washington State Legislature approved $47 million for construction of the STEM building, which was one of 25 projects included in the Washington State Board for Community and Technical College’s $338 million budget request for the 2017-19 capital budget.

Over the past 20 years, Edmonds CC has received numerous grants, totaling over $50 million, in support of STEM education from the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and other public and private sources.

For more information, visit edcc.edu/STEMbuilding.