Camden County has a new reason to celebrate as the Technical School located in Gloucester Township, N.J., celebrated the grand opening of a new Manufacturing and Engineering Technology (MET) career program.
On Oct. 1 2024, more than 100 school officials, commissioners, board of education members, business partners, parents, and MET students attended the event that included speeches, the traditional cutting of the ribbon, and tours of the new $6 million addition.
Featured speakers included Principal Chantell Green and Superintendent Wanda Pichardo, as well as Camden County Commissioner Jonathan Young, New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools Executive Director Jackie Burke, and Lamatek, Inc. Manufacturing Director of Operations Stephen Tice.
The Gloucester Township Campus of Camden County Technical Schools (CCTS) opens a new space dedicated to hosting a STEM-based Manufacturing and Engineering Technology program.
It all began in July 2021 when Governor Murphy signed legislation to award $275 million in grants to expand career and technical education across New Jersey county vocational-technical school districts. Camden County was one of the districts to receive funding from the state as well as a commitment of funds from the Camden County Commissioners.
This funding, which New Jersey voters approved in November 2018 by passing the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act, helped vocational-technical school districts meet both student and employer demands for career and technical education programming across the state.
The Gloucester Township Campus of Camden County Technical Schools (CCTS) was awarded $5.25 million to create a new career program–Manufacturing Engineering Technology (MET). The Gloucester Township Campus consists of 12 individual buildings on more than 160 acres, and this project added an additional 19,206 square feet to Building #6.
Specific to the new career program, the project added a MET Career Lab, MET Design Theory Lab, three career and technical education (CTE) Related Theory/Instructional rooms, a MET Simulation Lab, a MET Physical Science Lab, as well as a large group instruction area and related support spaces.
Camden County students can gain high-tech skills using equipment filling a new space for the Manufacturing and Engineering Technology program.
There are 25 freshmen and one sophomore enrolled in the MET career program during the 2024-2025 school year.
From a vocational school which opened with 400 students in 12 trade areas, the Camden County Technical School district has evolved into one of the largest and most comprehensive vocational-technical districts in New Jersey. District-wide, CCTS now offers 32 various careers, including MET, to more than 2,200 students each year.
The new program caters to students interested in applied engineering, providing a hands-on career pathway. It will equip them with advanced manufacturing and high-tech skills that are in high demand in our region.
“Students enrolled in this program will learn skills and earn industry-valued credentials providing them with multiple pathways that will allow them to enter directly into the workforce, pursue apprenticeship opportunities, or continue in a post-secondary tract,” said Pichardo.
“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 Burke.
“These are the exact goals our state leaders and New Jersey voters hoped to achieve with the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act,” Burke added. “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 all contribute to a learning experience that is relevant, effective and transformative for both the students and the local and state employers who will soon hire them.”
“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,” Commissioner Deputy Director Ed McDonnell said. “This new capital investment is incredibly important for us at the Tech School to build the workforce of tomorrow.”
The MET program will focus on the design, support and operations of integrated systems that are commonly found in the manufacturing sector in the production of high-quality, economically competitive products. These systems may include Programmable Logic Controls (PLC’s), manual and CNC machining, robots, tools, materials-handling equipment and more.
In Camden County alone, there are over 500 manufacturing firms, with nearly 3,000 across the South Jersey region and more than 11,000 statewide. The manufacturing sector employs over 300,000 individuals in New Jersey, with more than 13,000 jobs in Camden County. The demand for skilled professionals in this sector is continually growing, with over 60% of these positions offering salaries exceeding $50,000 per year.
“I would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made this vision a reality—our dedicated faculty and administration, the STEM department at Camden County College, our knowledgeable business partners, and most importantly the CCTS Board of Education and Camden County Commissioners,” emphasized Pichardo. “Without their support, this expansion project would not have been possible. Their commitment to fostering a culture of learning and excellence is what enables us to move forward.”
“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 Camden County’s and our state’s job markets,” said Young. “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.”
