Carroll Community College to Celebrate Ribbon Cutting for Ratcliffe Applied Technology and Trades Center
New Skilled Trades Center Responds to Growing Student and Employer Demand
WESTMINSTER, Md.– Carroll Community College will officially celebrate the ribbon-cutting of the Ratcliffe Applied Technology and Trades Center on Monday, October 19, at 3 p.m. at 110 Airport Drive in Westminster. The event will bring together College leaders, elected officials, workforce and foundation partners, and community members to mark an important expansion of skilled trades education in Carroll County.
The Ratcliffe Applied Technology and Trades Center is supported by $850,000 in Fiscal Year 2026 Congressionally Directed Spending, a historic federal award for Carroll Community College. The College received the funding earlier this year during a ceremony recognizing the federal investment.
The federal investment is helping equip the Ratcliffe Center with state-of-the-art facilities to deliver high-demand workforce training in areas such as welding, automotive technology, plumbing, and advanced manufacturing. The investment is particularly timely as Carroll currently has waitlists for its automotive technology and welding programs and needs additional space to meet demand. The new training space will allow more students to begin preparing for careers in these high-demand fields.
“Increasing pathways to good-paying jobs is critical for Marylanders,” said Congressman Johnny Olszewski (MD-02). “That’s why I was proud to help secure $850,000 in federal funding, alongside Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen, for the new Ratcliffe Applied Technology and Trades Center. This investment will provide state-of-the-art training equipment for welding, automotive technology, plumbing, and advanced manufacturing, so workers can secure in-demand jobs and local businesses get the skilled employees they need to grow.”
The 10,000-square-foot Ratcliffe Center will provide hands-on training in welding, automotive technology, electrical, plumbing, and other high-demand skilled trades. Specialized labs are designed to replicate real workplace environments and provide students with experience using industry-standard systems, equipment, and tools.
“This is about creating opportunities for our students while responding directly to the workforce needs of our community,” said Dr. Rose Mince, President of Carroll Community College. “Students will be able to gain practical skills in environments designed to reflect the workplace, while employers will benefit from a stronger pipeline of skilled talent. This is what it means to connect education, opportunity, and economic growth.”
The federal funding builds on the significant investment Carroll already makes in skilled trades education. The Ratcliffe Applied Technology and Trades Center is also supported by a $2.8 million grant from the Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation for the Ratcliffe Works: Building Skills, Creating Futures project. In addition to supporting the center, the grant helps reduce barriers for students through scholarships, stipends, tools, direct assistance, and connections to employment.
“I am fighting so Marylanders aren’t just living on the margins, but so they can create wealth and build lives where they truly thrive. This $850,000 investment will create opportunities for countless students to build careers in technology, welding, automotive, advanced manufacturing, and more. When we invest in our people, our economy thrives and we all do better,” said Senator Angela Alsobrooks.
The Ratcliffe Center brings multiple skilled trades programs together under one roof, combining hands-on training with student support and connections to employers. It will also serve as a bridge facility while the College works toward a permanent Trades, Training and Technology Complex on its main campus.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee is also partnering with the College at the center to provide a daytime electrical apprenticeship program.
“The Ratcliffe Applied Technology and Trades Center will open the doors of opportunity for more Marylanders seeking both a quality education and a career in the skilled trades. That’s why Federal Team Maryland worked to secure an $850,000 federal investment to help Carroll Community College launch this Center. Through this initiative, students will be equipped with essential technology and trade skills, preparing them for good-paying jobs in high-demand professions after graduation,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Monday’s Ribbon Cutting
The October 19 ceremony will feature remarks from College leaders, workforce and foundation partners, elected officials, and a student representative. The program will conclude with the official ribbon cutting, followed by tours of the facility. Media representatives will have an opportunity to participate in a guided hard hat tour.
WHAT: Ribbon Cutting for the Ratcliffe Applied Technology and Trades Center
WHEN: Monday, October 19, 2026, at 3 p.m.
WHERE: 110 Airport Drive, Westminster, Maryland
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES: Remarks from College and community leaders, ribbon cutting, photos and video of the new facility, and guided hard hat tours.
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Carroll Community College’s mission is Empowering learners. Changing lives. Building community. Carroll Community College (Carroll) provides accessible, high-quality educational opportunities to advance careers, enrich lives, and strengthen the community we serve. Carroll offers academic and career preparation leading to transfer to four-year colleges and universities, and for direct entry into professional opportunities. Carroll Community College is located at 1601 Washington Road, Westminster, Md., 21157. Visit us on our website at www.carrollcc.edu.