Western Maricopa Education Center (West-MEC), a career technical education school district (CTED) serving students in the West Valley, recently broke ground on a $13.5 million expansion of its Northeast Campus, located at 1617 W. Williams Dr. in Phoenix. The expansion will add two new training facilities, update equipment and create more space to serve additional students.

Image Courtesy of: West-MEC

The facility is a 16,500 square-foot Advanced Manufacturing and Welding building that will feature an Advanced Manufacturing lab and cleanroom, both outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment. The building will also contain a 2,000 square-foot cutting-edge electric vehicle bay that includes a teaching facility with car lifts and first-hand instructional areas.

“The demand for advance manufacturing, welding and EV/hybrid continues to grow so we wanted to ensure we had a top-of-the-line space for our students and enough courses to account for the next generation of workers,” said Dr. Scott Spurgeon, West-MEC’s Superintendent. “This is one of many expansion projects we have on the horizon, and we look forward to continuing to grow one of the largest and best CTE schools in the Valley.”

Image Courtesy of: West-MEC

Advanced manufacturing, welding, and electrical vehicle/hybrid repair industries are growing exponentially across the nation, and especially in Arizona, making this an ideal time to ensure students have a proper education, credentials, and workforce experience to prepare them for successful careers.

The project, designed by Orcutt | Winslow and constructed by McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., is slated to be completed before the 2025-2026 school year.

In addition to the Advanced Manufacturing, Welding, and Electrical Vehicle/Hybrid Repair programs, West-MEC’s Northeast Campus also offers Medical Assisting, Coding, Automotive Technology, Veterinary Science, Pharmacy Science, Collision Repair and Construction programs.

West-MEC has three additional campuses with 36 programs designed for high school students. The CTED also offers 7 programs for adult students looking to upskill or learn a trade.

For more information on the expansion, West-MEC and the programs offered visit west-mec.edu.

About West-MEC

West-MEC is a career technical education public school district focusing solely on innovative CTE programs that prepare students to enter the workforce and pursue continuing education. West-MEC CTE programs provide students with opportunities to earn college credit and industry credentials. West-MEC serves more than 37,000 students from 49 high schools across 3,800 square miles in the northern and western cities of the Phoenix Metropolitan area. West-MEC now also offers adult education programs. Visit west-mec.edu for more information about West-MEC’s career-driven education opportunities

Feature Image Courtesy of: West-MEC