COCC Breaks Ground on $8 Million Manufacturing Expansion

Central Oregon Community College has begun an estimated $8 million remodel and expansion of its Manufacturing Center to meet rising demand for technical training.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Construction

Photograph of a half-finished steel-framed industrial building wing with exposed beams and a welding station against a high-desert landscape in Bend, Oregon. — Central Oregon Community College broke ground on an estimated $8 million expansion of its Manufacturing Center to meet a 12% enrollment rise in manufacturing degrees and certificates. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Central Oregon Community College broke ground on an estimated $8 million expansion and renovation of its Manufacturing Center. The project responds to growing regional demand for skilled labor and rising enrollment in technical fields.

Why it matters

Oregon's welding workforce is projected to grow 15% between 2022 and 2032, and the college reports a 12% increase in seats taken for manufacturing degrees and certificates this term. Expanded lab capacity is meant to help meet that demand for trained workers in Bend and across Central Oregon.

The project combines $4 million from COCC general funds with a $4 million matching grant from Oregon's Higher Education Coordinating Commission, with additional costs to be covered through fundraising. The remodel covers 34,300 square feet of existing manufacturing technology labs, and a 6,500-square-foot addition will expand welding and fabrication labs.

The players

Central Oregon Community College

A public community college based in Bend, Oregon, serving the Central Oregon region with technical and vocational programs.

Higher Education Coordinating Commission

Oregon's state agency responsible for coordinating and funding higher education institutions across the state.

The details

The project includes a 34,300-square-foot remodel of existing manufacturing technology labs, expanding computer numerical control labs and adding classroom space for product design and quality control. A separate 6,500-square-foot expansion will house enlarged welding and fabrication labs to increase student capacity.

- November 3, 2026: Central Oregon Community College breaks ground on the Manufacturing Center expansion.
- 2022 to 2032: Projected 15% growth in Oregon's welding workforce.

Roadmap

The expansion follows a broader pattern of community colleges adding technical capacity to meet projected skilled-trades shortages in manufacturing and welding. It positions Central Oregon's training infrastructure to keep pace with the state's documented workforce growth through 2032.

Students pursuing welding, fabrication, CNC, and product design careers in Bend will gain access to expanded lab space and classroom capacity once the project is complete. Employers in the Central Oregon region may see a larger pool of trained manufacturing candidates over time.

The takeaway

Expanding hands-on training labs is one practical way regional colleges can align student programs with projected job growth in skilled manufacturing. Students considering these fields should look at available certificate and degree options as capacity grows.