Olympic College celebrated another enhancement to its Bremerton campus Sept. 13, introducing a remodeled Shop Building that the college believes will be a “leading edge facility for a 21st century workforce.”

The multi-million dollar project could hardly be classified as a remodel, Olympic College president Marty Cavalluzzi said. The construction to replace an outdated building had forced the college’s welding program to relocate to West Sound Technical Skills Center, which had been home to precision machining for years. The programs were halted last year when WSTSC began construction of its own.

Now, for the first time, the 14,000-square-foot building will bring Olympic College’s Welding, Manufacturing, Precision Machining and Technical Design programs together under one roof.

“It has taken a lot of resilience, but we’re back and better than ever,” Cavalluzzi said. “This is a dream come true.”

Justin Adams, a 2018 graduate of OC, agreed. “It’s crazy to stand here now and see how big this building really is. “As far as the goal of this building, I can talk firsthand that it really does apply to the new industry standard.”

Work began in 2022 to modernize labs, classrooms and equipment, increase welding booth capacity, add office space and add new building façade with storefront windows and garage doors. The final product includes 30 new welding booths with a variety of types and “state-of-the-art” dust collection equipment, digital readout and printout technology in its precision machining stations, over a dozen 3D printers and classrooms featuring direct views for workshop observations.

Delays that might have come from the inevitable challenges of modern inflation rates were minimal in part due to $1.5 million in donations from the Bremer Trust.

“Olympic College is proud to offer a dynamic mix of academic and trades programs, and this remodel is a welcome boost to our students seeking to learn hands-on skills that translate directly into living-wage careers,” Cavalluzzi said.

Adams added: “It’s crazy that the skills I was able to get here were immediately applied at my new job. Being able to get into the workforce, just like many of my classmates at the time, it was very easy to get a job.”

Local leaders and members of the public were invited to tour the ground floor of the new facility, including Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler, who started his journey in the trades with OC before he entered politics.

“Back in the day, we had to compete for apprenticeship, programs, to learn how to do precision machining and welding,” he said. “Now with the opening of this building, we get to expand this type of skill trades learning to a wider population and fit this growing demand in our community.”

Dennis Funk, dean of Manufacturing & Technology, noted the rising demand for skilled tradespeople is being “driven by retirements in older generations and the need for expertise in various industries. This demand translates into secure job tracks, steadily growing earnings and a sense of accomplishment for individuals working in skilled trades.”

Former Olympic College student Justin Adams talks about the importance of the new Shops Building for students like him.

Al Kitchens takes a group on a brief tour inside the Olympic College’s new Shops Building.