The engineering and technology department at Vaughn College opened two new laboratories at the Aviation Training Institute in the Astoria building at the start of the spring semester, with two more lecture halls scheduled to be opened my mid-February. The Title III Hispanic Serving Institute (HSI) grant funded project is nearing a close and currently an aircraft structures, as well as an aircraft materials and processes labs are up and running. There will be two additional laboratories related to computer numerical control (CNC) and composite design and manufacturing which will be the new location for the HAAS Automation CNC machine.

Vaughn’s Title III HSI grant, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Education, has funded the construction of the CNC and composites laboratories and the purchase of the HAAS Automation CNC machine. The newly constructed labs with state-of-the-art equipment will allow Vaughn to provide practical STEM hands-on training in composite and CNC programming and machining that are current with today’s manufacturing industry demands.

The Vaughn community and visitors will also get to enjoy an additional common area in the back of the building with a historic mural and artifacts that will display the college’s inventive history.

Check the progression of construction below.