Grand opening celebrates the completion of the centerpiece of North Central's largest campus expansion in more than 50 years
North Central Michigan College will celebrate the grand opening of its new Martin Jahn Technology Center with a community ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 31, marking a major milestone in the college's $22 million Career and Technical Education Enhancement (CATEE) project. The public is invited to attend the ribbon-cutting at 4:15 p.m. The event will include remarks from college leaders and project partners, a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, and opportunities to tour the new facility.
The new facility expands opportunities for students pursuing careers in advanced manufacturing, engineering technology, and skilled trades while helping meet Northern Michigan's growing workforce needs. It also represents the culmination of years of planning, public-private investment, and community support to strengthen the region's talent pipeline.
"The Martin Jahn Technology Center represents an investment in our students, our employers, and the future of Northern Michigan," said NCMC President David Roland Finley. "Because of the support we received from our elected officials, donors, and community partners, we are creating learning environments that prepare students for high-demand careers while strengthening the workforce that drives our regional economy."
The Martin Jahn Technology Center is the centerpiece of North Central's CATEE project, the college's largest campus expansion in more than 50 years. The project replaces the nearly 60-year-old Technology Building with a modern, flexible learning environment designed for advanced manufacturing, engineering technology, robotics, welding, computer numerical control (CNC) machining, and other skilled trades programs.
The project also includes a 7,200-square-foot expansion of the Health Education and Science Center, adding classrooms, simulation laboratories, and clinical learning spaces to support the college's growing nursing and allied health programs. Together, the projects will increase North Central's capacity by approximately 350 students annually in high-demand healthcare, engineering technology, and skilled trades fields.
Completion of the CATEE project has been made possible through a combination of public and private investment.
In 2023, state Sen. John Damoose secured a $9.872 million appropriation through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to support construction of the Martin Jahn Technology Center and the Health Education and Science Center expansion. The project also received $2 million in federal congressionally directed spending secured by Congressman Jack Bergman and U.S. Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow.
Those investments, combined with generous support from private donors through the NCMC Foundation, enabled the college to undertake one of the most significant workforce education projects in its history.
Construction began in early 2025 and was carefully phased to minimize disruption to students. During construction, technology programs temporarily relocated to the Industrial Arts Institute in Onaway, allowing instruction to continue uninterrupted while the new facility took shape.
The Martin Jahn Technology Center is expected to welcome students for the Fall 2026 semester, while construction on the Health Education and Science Center expansion continues toward completion later this fall.
"Every classroom, laboratory and collaborative space inside the Martin Jahn Technology Center represents an opportunity for another student to build a meaningful career close to home," said Chelsea Platte, vice president for advancement and executive director of the NCMC Foundation. "We're excited to welcome our community inside and celebrate what this investment means for students, employers and the future of Northern Michigan."