New Mexico Community College Celebrates Opening of State-of-the-Art Skilled Trades Center

The opening of the Ted Chavez Trades & Technologies Center was the centerpiece of Central New Mexico Community College's 60^th Anniversary Celebration

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Aug. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Central New Mexico Community College celebrated its 60th anniversary this week and the grand opening of the state's premier skilled trades education and training facility – the Ted Chavez Trades and Technologies Center (TTC).

CNM opened as Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute (TVI) in 1965 with 150 students in just a few programs, including trades programs like Automotive Repair, Carpentry, Machine Trades, and Silversmithing. Today, CNM has the largest undergraduate student body in the state, serving more than 33,000 students per year through 150 academic and workforce training programs. 

"There are thousands of people in our community who have great careers and great lives because of the caring support of our faculty and staff over the decades and the exceptional education they received at CNM, or TVI as it was fondly known until 2006," says CNM President Tracy Hartzler. "It's also fitting that the grand opening of the Ted Chavez Trades and Technologies Center is part of our 60th anniversary celebration. When we opened as TVI in 1965, we were firmly committed to the trades. And 60 years later, this modern, cutting-edge facility shows our community that we remain committed to the trades for decades to come."

The TTC will house the majority of CNM's trades programs, including Welding, Electrical Trades, Carpentry and Construction, Plumbing, Industrial Automation Technology (Mechatronics), and Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR). The 60,000 square foot facility includes lab spaces for all the programs, nine classrooms, academic support spaces, administrative office space, and outdoor gathering areas.

The building design is focused on adaptability and collaboration, with several modern features including:

• Coexisting classroom and lab space to support each specific trade to ensure easier transitions from lecture to hands-on learning.
• Outdoor space in each lab to provide opportunities for students to apply their skills in real-world, outdoor elements. 
• New, state-of-the-art trades equipment and technology for students to learn and hone their skills,
• Visible and color-coded utility systems, like plumbing, electrical, gas, and HVAC, throughout the building so students can see how the building itself functions. The building functions as a living lab for students. 

"The entire TTC building was designed to provide hands-on learning opportunities," says Sionna Grassbaugh, Interim Dean of the School of Skilled Trades & Arts. "From the exposed piping to the larger classroom and lab spaces, this space provides students an engaging, state-of-the-art learning environment. The increase in space also means we can support more learners, and in return support the growing need for skilled tradespeople in our state and across the country."

New Mexico and states across the country need a larger pipeline of skilled tradespeople to fill the growing workforce need as an aging trades workforce reaches retirement age without sufficient replacements. Our trades workforce is aging with a growing number of workers being 55 and older. The New Mexico Building Trades Council estimates that 25 to 30 percent of its members are approaching retirement age.

Here's why this facility matters to New Mexico:

• Construction makes up 7 percent of all jobs in New Mexico, with an average wage of $76,000. 
• In Albuquerque, the average wage is $79,000.
• The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions projects 5,600 new jobs in construction fields will be available over the next seven years. 

The design and vision for the TTC was a collaborative effort with input received from the trades industry and employers in central New Mexico, as well as local and state government officials and economic development organizations. 

The building is named after Ted Chavez, a former student who studied HVAC. He also taught at then-TVI, inspiring, teaching, and mentoring students for 19 years. He played a pivotal role in developing CNM's trades programs and helping students acquire the skills needed to have successful trades careers in the local economy. His name is currently on the existing Ted Chavez Hall trades buildings on Main Campus, and his legacy will continue to be honored through the new facility.

SOURCE Central New Mexico Community College (CNM)