Excellence Training Center
Youngstown State University
SSOE worked with Youngstown State University for the creation of a living / learning R&D Excellence Training Center (ETC) that serves as an advanced manufacturing education, workforce training facility, and incubator factory. It houses a welding, machining CNC, automation and fluids training labs, high-bay workspace, metals and 3D printing, secure group project space, classrooms, and a workroom space. The ETC opened in Fall 2021 and houses approximately $5.5 million worth of advanced manufacturing equipment. The development of the ETC required the renovation of an existing building and addition to the facility on a downtown campus while maintaining project specific and ITAR security regulations.
SSOE worked with YSU faculty and staff, MVICC members, and Eastern Gateway Community College to develop detailed bid documents for repairs, renovation, and new construction. The project site is located both on the edge of YSU’s campus and in Youngstown’s downtown area. This location provides access to the varied groups that will utilize the facility including Youngstown’s downtown community. The building’s architecture takes inspiration from the existing urban context and neighboring campus buildings to create a common aesthetic statement. This project is also partially funded with an EDA Grant, for which SSOE provided the necessary documents. SSOE’s design also included provisions and concepts for future expansion(s) to the facility, as this is Phase I of a multi-Phase 100,000+ SF master plan created as part of the project’s planning and design.
Utilization of our significant manufacturing industry experience allowed our design team to lead the YSU design committee through the design process by helping them create a real-life simulated advanced manufacturing environment. We were able to utilize our knowledge of plant and process design and apply it into the manufacturing educational design, which will ultimately allow students to be completely prepared to enter real manufacturing environments upon program completion.
