LeCroy Career Technical Center will spotlight the new Advanced Manufacturing Academy at the center’s seventh annual open house Oct. 13 from 4–6 p.m.

The center is partnering with the Chilton County Chamber of Commerce for the open house to be a Business After Hours event open to the public.

The open house will allow parents, business and industry representatives, community officials and others to see the center’s facilities, learn more about each department in career tech education and talk to students and instructors about their curriculum and projects.

“It is open to anybody,” LCTC Director Tommy Glasscock said. “We should have anywhere from 500-600 people come in that afternoon. We have a lot of out-of-town people come just to see what we’re doing.”

Located in the electronics building, the Advanced Manufacturing Academy encompasses electronics, HVACR (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) and welding courses.

The program is designed to provide students with classroom curriculum and hands-on training they need to pursue jobs in the manufacturing industry.

The program is offered through a partnership between LCTC and Jefferson State Community College, along with a $379,000 grant from the 21st Century Workforce Act.

Glasscock said enrollment in the Advanced Manufacturing Academy’s evening classes is at an all-time high with nearly 80 students.

Evening classes have averaged about 40 students in recent years.

“Enrollment has doubled,” Glasscock said.

Another program guests may visit at the open house is Health Science, which prepares students to enter nursing programs after high school.

Students in the program will carry out mock “code blue” scenarios using simulation models that resemble mannequins.

In a code blue scenario, a patient is in cardiac or respiratory arrest and needs immediate medical attention and CPR.

Students in the Public Service Academy will demonstrate responding to emergency calls during fire and police drills.

In addition, the LeCroy Academy of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and the new chemistry lab will be open for guests to see the programs and materials that students in robotics and manufacturing classes utilize.

The open house is free to attend, and refreshments will be available.

“This is the biggest single event we do,” Glasscock said.