BEAUMONT, Texas — The Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) has started construction to renovate their Advanced Technology Center.
Their goal is to build a trade school of the future.
"We've got a lot of expansions going on." said Dr. Sid Valentine, President of LIT. "As you come up and down Martin Luther King Dr. you're going to see LIT all over the place."
The expanded $6.6 million Advanced Technology Center is allowing the university to welcome several new programs and offer innovative classrooms.
"As these new industries are coming in, make sure to stay on the front end of that," Dr. Valentine said.
The 2-year university offers plumbing, electrical and mechanical programs, as well as civil technologies among many other programs.
The university is even planning to start training for industries that are just emerging like AI.
"Our hope is to bring in real hands on experience. Very little, if any, required train up going from here to there,"
Dr. Valentine says it's working. A majority of graduating students are walking straight into a job, according to Dr. Valentine.
"People used to refer to them as blue collar workers, they're gold collar workers, without them, the industry would stop," he said.
Students are expected to be able walk through the doors spring 2025.