Gulf Coast Community College unveils final plans for $30 million Advanced Technology Center at press conference

Panama City – Gulf Coast Community College and Florida Architects will unveil the plans for the College’s Advanced Technology Center (ATC) at a press conference to be held Monday, February 1, at 10:00 a.m. in Student Union West, room 302.

College and community focus groups, as well as site visitors from the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers, made recommendations based on assessments of current workforce and economic development operations relative to degree programs, organizational structure, funding, and the most effective use of the planned “green” and LEED gold certified ATC facility.

Programs that will be housed in the ATC will include Sustainable Building Construction, the Entrepreneur’s Institute/Entrepreneur Development Business Lab, the Emerging Technologies Laboratory, and an Information Technology/Computer Sciences center, just to name a few. A key goal is the integration of the curriculum with high schools to provide students with both career and educational pathways based on college credit and employer requirements.

“It’s a priority that we develop courses for delivery to business and industry that address their current and future needs,” said Dr. Jim Kerley, GCCC President. “Based on all of the plans we’ve developed, this will be the best ATC in the state and perhaps one of the top centers in the nation.”