In another example of educators and elected officials are raising the bar on opportunity in Morris County, leaders from the Morris County Vocational School District, the County College of Morris and the Morris County Board of County Commissioners cut the ribbon Friday on the new Morris County Career Training Center in Randolph.
The 46,350-square-foot, two-story facility, located on the campus of CCM, will enable the Vocational School District to expand its operations, serving up to 500 additional high school students through a share-time model focused on career and college readiness.
The share-time programs provide half-day specialized career and technical education training as part of a student’s junior and senior year high school program.
Programs at the new center will include medical assistant, dental assistant, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, entrepreneurship, supply chain management and more. MCVSD juniors and seniors enrolled in these share-time programs can gain industry-recognized credentials and hands-on experience through work-based learning while earning up to 18 college credits.
“The new Morris County Career Training Center puts students on a path to be both career and college ready,” MCVSD Board of Education President Barbara Dawson said. “It’s a significant step forward in preparing our youth for high-skill, high-wage careers.”
The $26.8 million project was funded through $18.6 million from the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act and $8.2 million in county support. It builds on a successful partnership between MCVSD and CCM and is located next to CCM’s Advanced Manufacturing Center and the future Entrepreneurship and Culinary Science Center.
CCM President Tony Iacono said the center is another example of how the county operates.
“In Morris County, we make incredible progress the only way we know how – together,” he said. “More than a new building on campus, this state-of-the-art facility is a launch pad of opportunities for generations of students who will become our future industry leaders,
technologists, engineers, manufacturers, chefs, medical professionals and so much more.”
State Senator Anthony Bucco marveled at the building, saying it seemed like only yesterday that a group had gathered for a ground-breaking.
Iacono said the effort was nearly a decade in the making.
“When I became president of CCM in 2016, initial conversations began with Paul Licitra and Barbara Dawson. Around the same time, the Morris County Commissioners — Tom Mastrangelo, Doug Cabana, Christine Myers, Deborah Smith, and John Krickus — approached me about the potential to expand our excellent vocational school district.
“Many conversations and hard work led to the building we’re celebrating today — and it’s all for our students.”
Dawson agreed.
“This event is not just about the opening of a new building, it’s about opening the doors to our students, where they can cultivate their dreams, hopes, and aspirations,” she said. “They will have a safe and inspiring environment to explore the many possibilities and opportunities available to them to discover their talents.”
