Austin Community College (ACC) announces a third incubator at ACC Highland to build the manufacturing industry in Central Texas.

Date: Wednesday, September 25
Time: 10 - 11:30 a.m.
Location: ACC Highland Campus, Building 4000, 6101 Highland Campus Dr.

"We are transforming how ACC meets the needs of the region, our students, and industry partners," says Dr. Richard Rhodes, ACC president/CEO. "A third of major employers in Central Texas are manufacturers. It's one of our fastest-growing sectors, but the work is shifting. We have to find innovative ways to bridge the gap between students and industry to keep up with the growing demand."

Currently, there are more than 57,000 manufacturing jobs in Central Texas today, but industry experts say there is significant underinvestment in manufacturing innovation.

The new manufacturing incubator at ACC Highland will support digital-ready small and midsize manufacturers and ACC's growing Manufacturing academic programs.

"There hasn't been a professional maker space for prototype manufacturing in Austin for many years," says Mitch Jacobson, Austin Technology Incubator executive director. "Not only will the new incubator be used to train students on real-world projects but also used by startups like our ATI member companies who can utilize the Lab for their first alpha and beta prototypes and products."

The incubator is funded in part by a grant from the National Economic Development Administration's Regional Innovation Strategies program and supported by local matching dollars from partners Austin Technology Incubator, Autodesk, City of Austin, and Amazon Web Services. ACC is the only EDA awardee in Texas to receive the grant funding.

The event will feature remarks from Dr. Rhodes, Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Jacobson, and industry experts from ARMA. RSVP is requested, but not required.

To learn more about ACC's Manufacturing Programs, visit austincc.edu/manufacturing.