Bend College Expands Welding and CNC Training Labs
Manufacturers in Central Oregon will gain a larger pool of trained welders and machinists as the expanded labs come online.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Construction
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Central Oregon Community College broke ground on an estimated $8 million expansion and renovation of its Manufacturing Center, adding lab and classroom capacity for welding, fabrication, CNC machining and product design. The project serves Bend-area operators and employers drawing on the regional technical workforce.
Why it matters
The college is expanding training capacity in response to projected regional labor demand and a 12% rise in enrollment for manufacturing degrees and certificates. For manufacturers and fabrication shops in the area, the expansion signals a larger local pipeline of trained welders and machinists over the coming years.
The $8 million project pairs $4 million in college funds with a matching state grant of the same amount, with remaining costs to come from fundraising. Enrollment in manufacturing programs rose 12% this term, and the Labor Department projects Oregon's welding workforce to grow 15% between 2022 and 2032.
The players
Central Oregon Community College (COCC)
A public two-year college in Bend serving the Central Oregon region with technical and vocational training programs.
Higher Education Coordinating Commission
Oregon's state body that coordinates public higher education funding and administers matching grants to institutions.
U.S. Department of Labor
The federal agency that publishes national workforce projections used by employers and training providers to plan skill demand.
The details
The project includes a 34,300-square-foot remodel of existing manufacturing technology labs, which will expand computer numerical control (CNC) labs and add classroom space for product design and quality control. A separate 6,500-square-foot addition will enlarge welding and fabrication labs to increase student capacity. The work is designed to widen the number of students the program can train at once, rather than to change the curriculum itself.
Timeline
Groundbreaking on the Manufacturing Center expansion took place on November 3, 2026.
The Labor Department's projected 15% welding workforce growth covers 2022 through 2032.
The 12% enrollment increase is measured across the current academic term.
Market Landscape
The project relies on a $4 million matching grant from Oregon's Higher Education Coordinating Commission, which covers half the cost and places the build inside the state's existing co-funding model for public college facilities. Local training capacity is being expanded to match a Department of Labor projection of 15% welding workforce growth statewide between 2022 and 2032.
Manufacturers and fabrication employers in Central Oregon should expect a larger pool of welding and machining graduates over time, though the expanded labs will take time to produce trained workers. Operators who rely on technical hiring should track the college's enrollment and completion figures as the new space comes online.
The takeaway
Expanded training capacity is a long-horizon hiring signal, not a near-term fix for skilled-labor shortages. Operators hiring welders or CNC machinists in the Bend area should watch COCC's program completion data as the expanded labs open.
Further reading
For more on how local building projects are funded and staffed, see our Construction coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KTVZ.
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