Wednesday, August 16, 2006

MEXICO, MO – U.S. Senator Kit Bond today joined area community leaders and residents to celebrate the ribbon cutting of the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) expansion project in Mexico.

“I share your vision to provide Missourians with a good education and good jobs in high-tech industries,” said Bond.

As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Bond has secured critical federal dollars for the ATC, including $700,000 in recent fiscal year spending bills. Also, Bond helped the Center secure $1.5 million in federal grant dollars.

The Advanced Technology Center is a cooperative effort among the City of Mexico, industry, and higher education institutions, including Linn State Technical College, Moberly Area Community College and the University of Missouri Outreach and Extension.

The ATC offers a number of Associate Degrees and Continuing Education and Certificate programs to residents in mid-Missouri. Bond praised the ATC for training the workforce of the future to use the technology of the future. The ATC offers one of only 20 programs in the country in laser and photonics technology and an innovative program in integrated manufacturing – blending high tech electronics with state of the art mechanical and computer systems.

Bond stressed that high-tech training is critical at time when there is a worldwide explosion in the development of technology, such as electronics, robotics, and biotechnology. As Missouri’s senior Senator, Bond has worked to ensure that Missouri is poised to take advantage of technological future, including providing federal dollars for the state’s research universities and state-of-the-art high tech companies. The Mexico ATC will ensure that the workforce is properly trained to implement these new ideas.

“The Mexico ATC is giving Missourians the skills they need to be sought-after by these companies to fill the high-paying jobs they offer. That is a win – win – win: for our workers, for our industries, and for our communities,” said Bond.