SCCC expanding optics center

Sussex County Community College (SCCC) in Newton is ramping up its offerings and creating partnerships in the optics field.

In late November, SCCC held a groundbreaking for its Optics Technology Center with 30 guests. Planned is a 2,500-square-foot addition at the R building.

During the event, remarks were made by Jon Connolly, SCCC president; Tyler Morgus, chairman of the board of trustees; and Jason Fruge, SCCC dean of Technical Studies.

Attendees included members of the board of trustees and the SCCC Foundation board of directors, county Commissioners Chris Carney and Jill Space, county Commissioner-elect Jack DeGroot, Assemblyman-elect Mike Inganamort, and representatives of Thorlabs, Satisloh and Esco Optics.

The SCCC Optics Technology program, which is in its fourth year, started with classes held at Thorlabs in Newton, Fruge said. After its first year, the program was moved to the newly retrofitted R building on the SCCC main campus.

”The R building was retrofitted roughly three years ago,” he explained. “This retrofit transformed the classrooms into optics technology lab spaces. During the last three years, SCCC, in partnership with Thorlabs and AmeriCOM, has secured over $2.1 million in CNC, manufacturing and metrology equipment.”

The program will be run entirely on the SCCC main campus starting this spring, Fruge said. ”Spring ‘24 will see the early construction to the expansion of the Optics Technology Center.”

This project is funded by a grant known as the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act, a state bond grant issued to SCCC in 2022 to expand its optics technology program and add skilled workers to the workforce.

The program has been attracting more students annually. During the 2023 fall semester, 15 students registered for classes in the optics program. Eight core classes are offered to enable students to achieve an associate degree in optics.

Forming partnerships

The optics program also is establishing multiple partnerships.

The connection with Thorlabs is providing employment opportunities for SCCC students. ”All have either been offered employment or were current employees who have since then advanced in their roles,” Fruge said.

Another partnership has been with Project Self-Sufficiency in Newton.

”The collaboration was initiated to allow students to be exposed to the world of optics technology while pursuing their high school equivalency,” said Cory Homer, SCCC vice president of student success and institutional effectiveness.

”Students enrolled in traditional high schools have opportunities to earn concurrent enrollment credit with the college, but until this partnership was established, no such opportunity existed for these students,” he said. “Students enrolled in the program take the Fundamentals of Optics Technology course on our campus several days a week.”

Partnerships between SCCC and Project Self-Sufficiency date back 37 years.

“Project Self-Sufficiency has had a robust and productive relationship with Sussex County Community College since its inception in 1986,” said Deborah Berry-Toon, executive director of the nonprofit organization.

“We are delighted to have our New Jersey Youth Corps students engaged in the optics program at the college, where they are achieving three-course credits while simultaneously pursuing their high school diploma at Project Self-Sufficiency.

She noted that the students are invited to tour the Thorlabs facility and learn about job openings in the field of fiber.

Working with AmeriCOM

In 2021, SCCC became the nation’s first community college to be a partner with the American Center for Optics Manufacturing (AmeriCOM), a nationwide organization working with the Department of Defense.

AmeriCOM subcontracted with SCCC to expand educational opportunities in optics technology. SCCC is receiving as much as $2 million to support the college’s optics technology program, creating a state-of-the-art lab, distance learning courses and dual-credit programs at regional high schools.

AmeriCOM’s objective has been to partner with community colleges in the nation in a five-year $34 million effort to secure educational opportunities for students, making them eligible for employment in the growing optics industry.