“This renovation signifies a transformative moment for BCIT,” said Superintendent Dr. Ashanti Holley of the $8-million project.
The Burlington County Institute of Technology (BCIT) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last month to celebrate the completion of $8 million in renovations and improvements at its Medford campus off Hawkin Road.
The vocational school district continues to upgrade its facilities and programs to prepare students for 21st-century careers.
“This renovation signifies a transformative moment for BCIT,” said Superintendent Dr. Ashanti Holley. “With the addition of almost 3,400 square feet of new and updated space for our welding, HVAC, as well as our game design, this is a creation of state-of-the-art space now equipped with industry-standard facilities that mirror the real world in our environment.
“This $8-million expansion … enables us to expand our hands-on training, enhances safety and technology and increases our capacity to serve more students.”
Improvements include major expansions and renovations to the school’s welding and HVAC shops and the creation of a new video game design lab. They are the first large-scale upgrades at the school since 2006 and will allow the school district to continue modernizing its programs.
“These updates not only modernize our school but also fortify our mission to prepare our students for certifications that lead directly to students’ success,” Holley noted.
The welding shop improvements total 1,300 square feet and include a renovated theory classroom, storage area and four additional welding booths. The HVAC space has been expanded to 2,100 square feet, including a classroom, shop area, supply and tool storage area and dedicated brazing area. The video game design lab provides dedicated space for the new design program, as well as a gaming room outfitted with high-speed personal computers for the school’s Esports team.
The improvements were funded with state and county money. The school district used a portion of a $16-million New Jersey grant for career and technical education expansion to fund most of the upgrades to the HVAC and welding shops. The grant was created by the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act, a state law that appropriated $350 million for county vocational-school expansion from a $500-million bond referendum approved by voters in 2018.
The video game design lab was created with a $319,000 renovation to existing space in the school, with renovations completed by workers from the Burlington County Department of Public Works Construction Services Division, which uses union labor to perform many construction projects in house rather than hiring private contractors.
The division’s construction crews performed just over 1,000 hours of labor to renovate the lab space, saving the school district and county taxpayers an estimated $210,000.
“Today, BCIT’s more than 2,000 students prepare for 21st- century careers in fields ranging from architecture, advertising, computer design and advanced health care, to criminal justice, culinary arts and hospitality, sports medicine, warehouse logistics and more,” said Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Allison Eckel, board liaison to the BCIT.
“ … Improvements like the ones we are celebrating today (at the Feb. 24 ribbon-cutting) will help students continue to excel …” she added. “Leaders like New Jersey state Sen. Troy Singleton, New Jersey Assemblywoman Carol Murphy and Assemblywoman Andrea Katz know that state funding sent to BCIT and other career and technical educational schools are wise investments for New Jersey and for Burlington County and its future.”
In addition to the Medford improvements, work is progressing on a $14-million expansion and renovation project at BCIT’s Westampton campus off Woodlane Road. That project encompasses upgrades to about 39,000 square feet of space, including a logistics training area and a large, diesel-engine garage. The Westampton improvements are predominantly funded by the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act.
“Providing more opportunities for students to become career ready at our county vocational schools is a worthy investment,” noted Singleton, one of the co-sponsors of the act. “The improvements at both BCIT campuses are a win for students and for Burlington County businesses seeking skilled workers in a variety of fields.”
