Media
Release
CONTACT:
Merritt
Gant, Steamworks Director FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(856)378-7883
Kevin
C. Rabago
(856)
451-3407
CCC OPENS
“STEAMWORKS” MAKERSPACE IN DOWNTOWN BRIDGETON OCT 1ST
More than just an acronym
“S.T.E.A.M”; which stands for science, technology, engineering, arts, and math,
forms the foundation for Cumberland County College’s new tech satellite
facility in downtown Bridgeton which will open October 1st.
The facility, known as STEAMWorks,
will be home to 3-D printing, CNC routers, AutoCAD design, robotics, Arduino,
and a fully stocked recording studio. In addition to offering classes, STEAMWorks
will offer memberships that individuals and businesses can take advantage of
much as they would a gym membership.
As a makerspace with a
membership model, STEAMWorks is a place where hobbyists and inventors can come
to work on projects. It is also an R & D lab where businesses can do
research and development such as prototype a new product or improve on an
existing one.
On the education side, STEAMWorks
will provide students with classes, training, and equipment centered on the
high tech- digital- online culture that is becoming the dominant force in
everything from retail to communications and entertainment.
While STEAMWorks will open
its doors on October 1st, it’s been a couple of years in the making
and the result of partners working together led by the City of Bridgeton who provided
funds in the form of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) grant. Other partners who
helped with aspects of the project include the Cumberland Empowerment Zone
Corporation (CEZ) and the Cumberland County Improvement Authority (CCIA).
For Mark Harris, CFO and
Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services, STEAMWorks is the right
thing at the right time. “We want to have a strong presence on the western side
of the county and the Bridgeton satellite is a great start- it also lets us
offer some unique training and programs to students, residents, and businesses”
said Harris.
For Bridgeton Mayor Albert
Kelly, the satellite facility is part of addressing a broader concern about
preparing the community to succeed in a rapidly changing jobs market.
“Technology has changed
everything and if we don’t focus our residents and students on core
technologies and applications, they’ll be less employable and locked out of the
opportunities of the future. 3-D printing will be a game changer and we need to
be in front of the curve” said Kelly.
Beyond equipment,
Cumberland County College will be providing a full menu of classes to tie
everything together. Some initial offerings will include CPT (Certified
Production Technician), Industrial Electricity I & II, PLC’s (Programmable
Logic Controllers), Adobe, Arduino, and AutoCAD (Computer-aided design).
STEAMWorks will also offer
“mini-classes” which will serve as a quick introduction and orientation for
members who don’t necessarily want to take a formal college class. Anyone using
equipment will be required to go through a basic safety orientation first.
Another unique part of STEAMWorks
will be the recording studio. While the recording studio will be a place for
students learning audio engineering through college classes; it will also be
available for musicians to rent studio time (and an engineer) for the recording
of demo CD’s, albums, soundtracks, or commercial spots.
Located at 46-50 East
Commerce Street in downtown Bridgeton, College officials are planning to make a
day of it on October 1st with an outdoor tent, demonstrations of a 3-D printer
in action, robotics, and a tour of STEAMWorks along with music, refreshments,
and the day’s guest speakers.
Past the events’ bells and
whistles, City and College officials see the makerspace satellite facility as
an anchor for a lot of important things to come.
“Beyond the education and
training available, STEAMWorks is one part of how I think we need to revitalize
downtown. With the presence of students and customers, I think there is a great
opportunity for other businesses; whether a shop, café, bistro, or other
retailer to benefit from the foot traffic” Kelly said.
“The makerspace model is
collaborative and a new way for Cumberland County College to serve a diverse
community of students, businesses, and residents. We’ll always offer core
classes, but we’re also committed to being leaders in education models and STEAMWorks
is part of that commitment” said Harris.
According to Program
Director Merritt Gant, STEAMWorks is also a platform for entrepreneurs. “With
the ability to access large markets online, this facility provides a great
place for people to enter the on demand economy. There’s no need to carry
inventories when items can be custom made with 3-D printing” said Gant.
The possibilities are wide
open and College and City officials are looking forward to what comes next for
STEAMWorks.
Those interested in find
out more about course offerings are encouraged to visit http://steamworksnj.com
# # #
To learn more about Cumberland County
College, please visit www.cccnj.edu
To learn more about the City of
Bridgeton, please visit www.cityofbridgeton.com