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“This approval marks the formal beginning of an 11-month construction process that will, in combination with our Welcome Center, provide an attractive gateway to our campus and the Owosso area,” said Peter W. Karsten, Baker College of Owosso president. “The new Auto/Diesel facility continues Baker College’s long history of developing and expanding career programs in employment fields that are in high demand. The building will have the functional elements, space capacity and design quality that will allow the automotive and diesel programs to be marketed throughout Michigan and surrounding states.”

The new facility will include two fully equipped automotive labs, three diesel labs, several engine and transmission labs as well as several lecture classrooms. Programs offered at the new facility will include automotive service and diesel service certificate and associate degrees, and a new automotive and diesel service management bachelor’s degree program. Future potential programs include alternative energy and collision repair.

The diesel service technology program at Baker College of Owosso, which began in 2007 with 70 students, has grown to 290 students in the 2010/2011 academic year, while the automotive program currently has more than 170 students. The Auto/Diesel Institute of Michigan brand was started by Baker’s Owosso campus in 2008.

“By providing well-prepared graduates, we quickly established a strong reputation for meeting the employment needs in the automotive and diesel technology fields,” said Karsten. “Enrollment growth and our out-of-state marketing efforts have resulted in the necessity for additional space for both programs. Our new ADI facility will accommodate current program growth, additional equipment and tools and the ability to add new programs to meet the requirements of an ever-changing job market.”

After Baker College of Owosso officials purchased the 11.8 acres of undeveloped land, they engaged the services of TMP Architecture to design the new facility for the auto and diesel programs.

“TMP brought award-winning design excellence to the project, as well as a long history of project experience in the higher education field,” said Karsten.

Baker College of Owosso subsequently invited construction firms from Shiawassee, Genesee, Ingham and Saginaw counties to participate in the competitive bidding process.

“In August, we selected Morgan Construction as the construction manager for the new building project,” said Karsten. “Headquartered in Flint, they provided the most competitive pricing and brought considerable higher education experience and knowledge of Baker College’s expectations to the project’s construction services.”

It is anticipated that project subcontractors will be local firms from the mid-Michigan area.

The project’s target completion date is August 2012.