COCC awarded $2.2 million for manufacturing technology
Published 10:05 am Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Central Oregon Community College has been awarded a $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education and will be used to develop short-term certificates for manufacturing technology. The department only designated 22 grants for colleges or universities nationwide.
The grant comes from a division dedicated to high-quality short-term programs and will help COCC create seven new stackable certificate pathways with particular skill specifications. The certificates include entry level fabricator, structural steel welder, computer numerical control operator and industrial maintenance.
Several COCC community partners, including BasX Solutions and Nosler, will be involved in the process, influencing curriculum design and internship development.
The funding will also support hiring faculty and staff, purchasing equipment and technology and improve data systems for Pell eligibility and tracking student outcomes.
COCC is planning a complete remodel of its training center at the Redmond campus, which will add more than 13,000 square feet to the workspace.
The college anticipates that at least 250 students will enroll in the certificate programs.
Noemi Arellano-Summer is schools, youth and families reporter at the Bulletin. She previously reported on homelessness and the 2020 eviction moratorium with the Howard Center of Investigative Journalism through Boston University. She was raised in Long Beach, California, where she started her journalism career reporting for her high school newspaper. In her free time, she can be found meandering through a bookstore or writing short stories.
She can be reached at noemi.arellano-summer@bendbulletin.com and 541-383-0325.
