Elkhart Community Schools officially broke ground Thursday on a new building that will house engineering and technical education classes.
When the district’s two high schools merge next school year students will choose an area of study. The new building will have classrooms and labs for students in the Engineering, Technology and Innovation, or ETI, track.
The ETI building will be between the Elkhart Memorial High School building and the Elkhart Area Career Center. Soon the combined campus will teach all the district students in 10th, 11th and 12th grade.
The ETI building will also house afternoon and evening classes for adults.
“Elkhart County is based on advanced manufacturing and if we do not find a way to address it here within our county and our region, we’re going to have a difficult time filling those skills gaps,” said Elkhart Area Career Center principal Brandon Eakins.
Construction will cost about $14 million. The money comes from a combination of a bond, a grant, and private donations.
The building will be 45,000 square feet and is expected to be finished in July 2020.
Contact Jennifer at jweingart@wvpe.org or follow her on Twitter at @jen_weingart
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