Aims Community College Greenlights $25.5M Workforce Innovation Center
At its December meeting, the Aims Community College Board of Trustees approved developing and building the Aims Workforce Innovation Center (AWIC) on the Greeley Campus.
The groundbreaking AWIC will nurture local business startups and help students gain cutting-edge business and technical skills. AWIC will be the first innovation incubator in Weld County.
“Approving AWIC is a huge step forward for Aims in meeting our mission,” said outgoing Aims Board of Trustees Chair Lyle Achziger. “Our college, our communities and all of northern Colorado and beyond will benefit greatly for decades to come.”
The $25.5 million project will create a supportive environment designed to help new businesses, ideas or projects grow while reducing operational risks and costs. Aims learners will benefit from hands-on proficiency with leading-edge technology and business development experience. It is set to open in early 2026. AWIC will be a 45,000-square-foot facility with innovation partner spaces, manufacturing labs, outdoor testing grounds and more.
“AWIC will cultivate dreams, spark ideas, and rev up our local business landscape and the career paths of our learners,” said Dr. Leah L. Bornstein, Aims Community College CEO and president.
Aims Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Nick Spezza is excited about what this new project can do for the college and northern Colorado.
“We will be growing new prosperity for our community, whether that's a business, whether that's jobs, whether that's creating a new approach to the industry, all of those things grow prosperity.”
Two industries are primed to benefit from this new center: construction and manufacturing. Locally, Aims currently has relationships in these industries with training and workforce development. Alquist 3D will be the first partner in residence at the center. In October, Aims teamed up with the 3D printing construction company to provide a short-term training program for their future employees. AWIC will also have production space for the company to continue growing its business and technology.
Aims will exclusively work with companies open to collaborating with students. Spezza’s vision is that it becomes a “living laboratory” that will be open to inviting students, faculty and staff into the mix. He also believes the site should be agile and continue understanding what's happening in our community. “We hope it can mold into slightly new shapes over the years,” Spezza said.
Watch for updates about this project and innovation at Aims at aims.edu/news.
