The Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) will receive $2 million in federal funding to create a state-of-the-art semiconductor and advanced manufacturing training center, U.S. Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced in Utica Thursday afternoon.

The Chips and Science Bill funding will enable the college to purchase industrial grade workforce training equipment for students in its science and technology programs.

“When you train students, it’s not just a blackboard. They have to know to work the machines," Schumer said. "These machines are fairly expensive, and so this money will go buy those machines so our young people can train on them and then walk down the street and get employed by many of the companies that are here.”

Schumer said renovating the science and technology building will allow the college to boost many of its existing programs.

“Robotics, welding and they’re even going to expand degrees like electrical engineering. All the kind of of jobs needed by our new companies that are coming here,” Schumer said.

When the new facility is renovated, MVCC expects it will prepare over 2,400 students for STEM fields in its first three years.

“This federal support from Senator Schumer is specifically for state-of-the-art equipment, which really amplifies and transforms the project itself, specifically, to ensure the new facility has the state-of-the-art equipment necessary for future training,” MVCC President Randall VanWagoner said.

The Science and Technology Building renovation project is expected to be completed by 2025.