Measure T-Funded Expansion in Soledad
Advanced Diesel Technology and Workforce Training

In July, Hartnell College broke ground on a new career technical education facility in Soledad, beginning construction on a two-level building that will become the dedicated home of the college’s Advanced Diesel Technology program and expand hands-on workforce training in South Monterey County.

“Ten years later, we are still putting the voters’ investment to work, expanding what is possible for the students of South County,” said Hartnell Superintendent/President Michael Gutierrez. “This building is designed to prepare our students to be work-ready, and it offers our community something more than a facility - it brings hope.”

The roughly 9,700-square-foot building is funded through Measure T, the $167 million facilities bond that district voters approved in November 2016. It will include a diesel and heavy-equipment training shop, classrooms, a mechanical lab, welding bays, instructional support space, tool and material storage, offices, lockers and restrooms, mezzanine storage, and 40 new parking stalls.

More than 100 people attended the ceremony at the project site at 1505 Metz Road, at the Hartnell College Soledad Education Center. Students, faculty, staff, trustees, donors, community members and elected officials from across the Salinas Valley gathered under a phrase repeated throughout the morning: It’s happening in Soledad.

Gutierrez said the college is expanding not only its physical footprint but the way it delivers instruction, including credit for prior learning and competency-based education. He pointed to AgStep as a program that has become a model for that approach.

State Senator John Laird, who served eight years as a community college trustee, told the crowd the project addresses several regional pressures at once.

“Enrollment has declined across the state, the economy is changing constantly, and community colleges have had to become more entrepreneurial to meet it,” Laird said. 

“This project addresses enrollment, it addresses job training, and it moves students toward where the economy actually is.”

Soledad Mayor Anna Velazquez, a Hartnell alumna, described the groundbreaking as the result of roughly a decade of coordinated work.

“Projects like this require hope for our families, hope for the future, and hope that we are preparing our students for 21st century careers,” Velazquez said. “Today we are not breaking ground on a facility; we are breaking ground on opportunity. Take a moment and picture the faces of the students who will walk through these doors, the careers they will build and the families they will support.” 

Gary Tanimura, a Hartnell alumnus and former president of the Hartnell College Foundation Board, spoke on behalf of the Tanimura family, a longtime supporter of the college.

“Giving back matters to our family, and our partnership with Hartnell College is one we value deeply,” Tanimura said. “When we invest in this college, we are investing in the people who will train the workforce of the future, and we see the benefit of that partnership every day in the employees who come to us from Hartnell.”

Ana Gonzalez, dean of South County education centers and distance learning, hosted the program.

“When we think about the future, we think about skill building and about lifting our community so more people can reach careers that provide livable wages,” Gonzalez said.

She introduced two Soledad High School dual enrollment students, Ariana Sanchez and Camila Sanchez, who described what career training close to home has meant for them. Both are entering their junior year taking Hartnell courses while still in high school.

“Before that class, I had never imagined myself learning skills like welding, electrical work and plumbing,” Ariana said. “It challenged me in the best way and gave me the confidence to try things I never thought I could do.”

Camila, the youngest in her family and the first to take college courses, said the new facility removes a barrier that has kept students from training they want.

“Through my agricultural science classes, I have learned how important agriculture is to our community and how many of these careers require technical skills and hands-on training,” she said. 

Representatives from the offices of Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez, U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas presented certificates of recognition.

Designed by In Studio Architecture, the facility is targeted to open in October 2027, with the first Advanced Diesel Technology and welding classes offered in spring 2028. Hartnell will welcome the community back to the site for a ribbon-cutting ceremony when the building opens.

A Busy Summer Filled with Opportunity
Programs Fit to Advance Students Forward

SUMMER CYBERSECURITY CAMPS
Supported by a vital partnership with the Hartnell College Foundation and a Reboot Grant, regional summer camps have successfully scaled to host six STEM camps this season, supporting a pipeline for local high school talent. Serving over 90 students from King City, Greenfield, Soledad, and Gonzales high schools, these intensive tracks in cybersecurity and drone training boost regional STEM representation, especially among women. Furthermore, the program expanded this year to launch an incredibly successful inaugural cybersecurity camp at the Castroville Education Center, demonstrating overwhelming community demand in North County.

INTERNATIONAL STEM INTERNSHIPS
Hartnell College students successfully departed for national and international internship placements in Hawaii, France, and Puerto Rico and are currently finalizing their eight- to 10-week experiential learning experiences. These immersive internships provide students with hands-on industry experience, cultural exchange, and expanded career exploration opportunities while strengthening technical and professional skills in real-world settings. This collaborative effort was made possible through a joint partnership between the Career Hub, STEM Internship Program, USDA-funded Learning to Lead (L2L) Program, and the Hartnell College Foundation, expanding access to transformative global work-based learning opportunities for students.   

FARM ROBOTICS CHALLENGE
The Hartnell College Farm Robotics Challenge Team recently won the Division 2 Excellence in Specialty Crop Award sponsored by the Western Growers Association. The team was awarded a $2,500 prize in recognition of their work and innovation. 

This is an international contest. Hartnell College is the only community college in the nation to have competed all four years of the challenge. The Farm Robotics Challenge Team consists of Agricultural Mechatronics, Engineering, and Computer Science students working on a computer vision and machine learning system to identify and measure artichokes in the field to assist with crop projections and harvesting. The interdisciplinary team of Agricultural Mechatronics, Engineering, and Computer Science students developed a computer vision and machine learning system to support crop forecasting and harvesting in partnership with Ocean Mist Farms. The program is supported through USDA grants and the Hartnell College Foundation, providing students with hands-on learning, internships, and career pathways in agriculture and emerging technologies.

Hartnell College Vocal Students Earn National Recognition at Classical Singer Convention and Competition

Four Hartnell College music students made their mark on a national stage, bringing their talent, passion and dedication to the prestigious Classical Singer Convention and Competition in Boston. Celebrating their achievements and the opportunities made possible through the Killian Music Scholarship, this story highlights how Hartnell’s emerging vocal artists are gaining recognition, building their craft and pursuing their dreams in music. Click here to read more.