USJ, Hartford Workplace Training Site Team Up

University of Saint Joseph

HARTFORD/WEST HARTFORD, CT — A West Hartford-based university and a Hartford nonprofit dedicated to teaching students important technological and manufacturing skills are teaming up for a joint program that should benefit both.

The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) out of West Hartford Monday announced its partnership with MakerspaceCT, a 28,000-square-foot workshop and skills development center in Hartford offering the community support and resources to learn and create.

Through this partnership, USJ’s engineering science students will have access to those resources and the opportunity to apply for internships with MakerspaceCT.

MakerspaceCT, located at 960 Main St., Hartford, will celebrate its fifth anniversary on Friday, April 19.

“Ensuring that USJ students apply what they learn in their classes and on-campus labs in real-world settings requires that we have partner organizations in many industries from healthcare to accounting and now, for our Engineering Science students, in manufacturing and engineering,” said USJ President Rhona Free.

“We are so glad that MakerspaceCT will be one of those partners, providing our students opportunities to work alongside experts with technology and equipment that will prepare them for the workforce.”

This partnership comes as the state focuses on increasing its manufacturing and engineering workforce, putting both USJ and MakerspaceCT at the forefront of preparing its students for that.

“We are honored to form this partnership contributing to the University of Saint Joseph’s reputation for excellence,” said MakerspaceCT Executive Director Devra Lee Sisitsky. “This collaboration allows MakerspaceCT to reinforce our mission of positively impacting lives through technology, innovation, and education. Our combined educational and project-based lab opportunities will provide comprehensive engineering skills to USJ students. We are excited to impact the future of engineering education.”

Here's how the collaboration will work:

• USJ faculty will offer engineering science, digital media and communication, and computer science classes for USJ students at the MakerspaceCT facility.

• USJ will provide MakerspaceCT memberships for ES students.

• MakerspaceCT will serve as a location for relevant USJ clubs, such as robotics.

For more information on MakerspaceCT, click on this link.

For more information on the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, click on this link.