Coming Fall 2012, Lakeland and MIT will open a fabrication lab on Lakeland's campus to support the endeavors of local manufacturers.

Lakeland Community College is committed to providing state-of-the-art educational programs, laboratory equipment, and laboratory facilities for the advanced education and training of its students to be prepared to fill the need for skilled employees for career opportunities in the technical, industrial, and manufacturing industries.

In this context Lakeland Community College, working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has committed to establish a FAB LAB on the campus to enhance the present equipment and educational opportunities of programs as well as the opportunity for corporate clients to utilize the capabilities. The Fab Lab is a collection of commercially available machines that can be used to “make just about anything.” MIT’s Fab Lab format is to offer the tools needed to “conceptualize, design, develop, fabricate, and test” a wide variety of components and products.

Combining the Fab Lab with Lakeland’s vast, presently established technical facilities and equipment is intended to provide an expanded horizon of capabilities for the development of the student and to provide a valuable resource to support local entrepreneurial, industrial and manufacturing companies to provide solutions regarding new product development and / or solutions to manufacturing problems.

Fab Labs are intended to provide widespread access to modern means for invention and fabrication. Lakeland's Fab Lab, and its association with other MIT Fab Labs worldwide, will provide a significant partnership capability with other institutions of higher education, and the manufacturing and entrepreneurial community to accomplish these goals.

Check back later for more information.