edited by Nikola Tzenov
Carroll Community College hosted members of Maryland’s congressional delegation this week to mark an $850,000 federal investment supporting a new trades training facility aimed at addressing regional workforce needs.
During a March 31 ceremony on campus, officials including U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Rep. Johnny Olszewski joined college leaders to present funding secured through Congressionally Directed Spending for the Ratcliffe Applied Technology and Trades Center.
College President Rosalie Mince said the investment supports the institution’s efforts to prepare students for careers in high-demand fields while meeting local workforce needs.
“This award is a powerful endorsement of our mission to prepare students for meaningful careers,” Mince said, thanking federal lawmakers for their support of community college programs.
Olszewski said the funding builds on broader efforts to expand access to workforce education and create pathways to stable employment.
“I am proud to continue building on those efforts at the federal level with this funding for Carroll Community College,” he said, adding that the investment will help students gain skills for jobs that contribute to the economy.
The funding will be used to purchase equipment for training programs in fields such as welding, automotive technology, plumbing and advanced manufacturing. College officials said the center is intended to help address shortages in skilled trades workers across the region.
Student speaker Corbin Gooch, a plumbing apprentice, said the facility will provide hands-on learning opportunities critical to mastering a trade.
“To learn a trade like plumbing the right way, you need more than a textbook,” Gooch said. “You need space and modern equipment.”
The Ratcliffe Applied Technology and Trades Center is scheduled to open later this year at the college’s Airport Drive location in Westminster. Officials said the facility will serve as a regional hub for workforce training, economic development and community engagement.
