The effort to establish a new Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Technology on the main campus is expected to take time. Higdon said it may be 24 months before OTC will be able to break ground on the 50,000-square-foot center.

The center is expected to cost $20 million. Higdon said OTC plans to leverage its increased funding to seek help at the state and federal levels, through bonds and grants. The college will also seek private donations.

The space will allow OTC to train students in advanced technical fields such as robotics, 3D printing and mechatronics — a science field that combines electronics and various forms of engineering.

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