Construction on the Work Skills Technology Center is slated to begin on or before Oct. 1, according Bogatay Senior Project Manager Thom Darrah.

“I am very pleased we are going with a local contractor. It’s a win for the college, win for homegrown job creation, and local economic development,” KCC President Roberto Gutierrez said.

The center is part of the $15.7 million Phase II project that will create two new campus spaces — the Work Skills Technology Center and Campus Central — and provide KCC students and staff a more unified campus experience.

Bidding for the Campus Central project will open in January.

The 20,184-square-foot Work Skills building will primarily house computer labs and classrooms for expanding curriculum, such as KCC’s Klamath Center for Education & Training (K-CET). Two of the building’s computer labs will be organized in a pod-style layout to encourage interactive and collaborative learning. Another lab will be dedicated to KCC’s one-year Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification program.

“That lab is going to be state-of-the-art,” said KCC Facilities Director Mike Homfeldt.

According to project manager Darrah, several of the subcontractors hired by Bogatay are also located in the Klamath Falls area.

BBT Architects, based in Bend, Ore., designed both the Work Skills Technology Center and Campus Central facility.