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Missouri Governor Mike Parson listens to MACC leaders discuss the new lab at the Columbia campus, as Mayor Brian Treece observes (March 3, 2022 photo courtesy of the governor's Flickr page)

Missouri’s governor and Columbia’s mayor praise new MACC lab on the Business Loop

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (left) and MACC President Jeff Lashley in the state-of-the-art lab at MACC’s Columbia campus (March 3, 2022 photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Missouri’s governor says MACC’s new state-of-the-art lab in Columbia is aligned with his priorities of workforce development and infrastructure.

A grant from the MoExcels Workforce initiative helped fund the lab and facility, and Governor Mike Parson traveled to Columbia’s MACC campus to help cut the ribbon on Thursday.

“This is exactly what we started three years ago (when he became governor) when we started building up the workforce of tomorrow, and why this is so important to be here today,” Parson says.

The facility inside Parkade Center also includes the new Mechatronics Center of Excellence. The expanded program prepares students to be technicians to troubleshoot and maintain equipment for 21st century manufacturing facilities.

The governor says the lab will produce quality employees in high-demand fields. He tells 939 the Eagle that Missouri ranks fourth in the nation in manufacturing.

“When you see these young men and women coming through these training facilities, knowing those jobs are ready for them when they go out. We’re just anxious to get more and more of them through these doors and get them out to where we help build a workforce,” says Parson.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson listens to MACC leaders discuss the new lab at the Columbia campus, as Mayor Brian Treece observes (March 3, 2022 photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

The makerspace lab is located in Parkade Center, on the Business Loop. The lab’s aim is to encourage entrepreneurship and to develop skills.

Meantime, the MACC project highlights the continued cooperation between Governor Parson and Columbia Mayor Brian Treece. Mayor Treece tells 939 the Eagle that there is a lot of potential for residents to improve skills and income potential.

“Whether it’s a seamstress that can take on bigger projects because there’s access to upholstery machines or big walking foot sewing machines for commercial projects. Or maybe the cabinet maker who maybe just has a small wood shop in his garage that can take on a bigger project with the industrial wood station there,” Treece says.

Boone County Commissioners, Columbia Chamber of Commerce ambassadors, educators and citizens also attended the ceremony.

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