New Advanced Manufacturing, Welding and Electric Vehicle Facilities Completed at West-MEC’s Northeast Campus

Western Maricopa Education Center, known as West-MEC, recently celebrated the completion of its new Advanced Manufacturing and Welding building and Electric Vehicle (EV) building addition at its Northeast Campus (1617 W. Williams Drive, Phoenix). The $13.5 million project was designed by Grace Design Studios (formerly GHC-Orcutt Winslow) and constructed by McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. 

The new 16,500-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing building features an advanced manufacturing lab with an ISO-X cleanroom and industry-standard equipment from companies like Festo, Universal Robots and KUKA. Students in West-MEC’s two-year Advanced Manufacturing, Automation and Robotics program explore new technologies like AI, machine learning and robotic process automation, and their impact on manufacturing. A unique feature of the program is the inclusion of cleanroom simulation training, to prepare students for work in the semiconductor and manufacturing industries.

The project also includes the addition of a 2,000-square-foot electric vehicle (EV) bay. The EV bay addition, which has been outfitted to create a cutting-edge teaching facility for electric vehicle technology, featuring a car lift as the facility’s focal point. The EV bay supports student learning within various instructional areas and allows for first-hand demonstrations.

“By connecting world-class training with industry needs, this new facility ensures West-MEC students are ready to step into high-demand jobs from day one. It’s a win for our students, our partners, and Arizona’s economy,” said Dr. Scott Spurgeon, West-MEC Superintendent.

With over 3,000 square feet of classroom and collaboration space, the facility was designed to enhance hands-on learning opportunities, specifically to prepare students for direct placement into manufacturing industry career opportunities. The Advanced Manufacturing building also houses a dedicated welding instructional lab with 25 individual Lincoln welding booths, equipped with a specialized Lincoln exhaust system. Coupled with this interior lab space, the welding program now has an exterior welding yard with individual sandblasting and plasma cutting stations. 

“Equipping high school students with a facility that provides the necessary, relevant hands-on training for lucrative careers in advanced manufacturing is very rewarding for our team,” said McCarthy Senior Project Director Tyler Shupe.  “These students are getting exposure to and practice with state-of-the-art equipment and technology that will prepare them for a future in this rapidly expanding industry.”

Construction of the campus expansion began in September 2024 and was completed on an aggressive 10-month timeline with support from Grace’s self-certification permitting process and in-house plan review. Subcontractors included Stone Cold Masonry, Progressive Roofing, Pueblo Mechanical and Hawkeye Electric.

“Grace Design Studios was absolutely thrilled to partner with West-MEC and McCarthy on the successful transformation of the Northeast Campus, delivering cutting-edge Advanced Manufacturing, Welding and EV tech programs,” said Saravanan Bala, Grace Design Studios’ partner.  “This modernized campus will serve to further burnish West-MEC's reputation as a pioneering and innovative organization with an unrelenting focus on next-generation workforce development initiatives in greater Maricopa County.”

West-MEC’s Northeast Campus is home to Advanced Manufacturing, Welding, Medical Assisting, Coding, Automotive Technology, Veterinary Science, Pharmacy Science, Collision Repair & Refinishing, and Construction Technology programs, among others, to instruct high school students in the Phoenix Metropolitan area in one of the state’s largest career and technical education (CTE) curriculums.

The addition of these new facilities enhances West-MEC's commitment to its core values of innovation, collaboration and excellence, with the mission to equip students with the skills needed to thrive in today’s competitive job market.

About West-MEC

West-MEC is a career technical education public school district focusing solely on innovative career and technical education (CTE) programs that prepare students to enter the workforce and pursue continuing education. West-MEC CTE programs provide students with opportunities to earn college credit and industry credentials. West-MEC serves more than 37,000 students from 49 high schools across 3,800 square miles in the northern and western cities of the Phoenix Metropolitan area. West-MEC now also offers adult education programs. Visit west-mec.edu for more information about West-MEC’s career-driven education opportunities.

About McCarthy Building Companies

 McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. (McCarthy) is the oldest privately held national construction company in America. With more than 160 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients, McCarthy is committed to delivering superior results and creating great experiences for everyone. McCarthy approaches every job with the mindset of a true builder. By self-performing critical scopes of work, McCarthy delivers accountability and consistency from start to finish. Through industry-leading design phase and construction techniques, combined with value-add technology, McCarthy drives smarter solutions and maximizes project outcomes. 

Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked the 15th largest domestic builder (Engineering News-Record, May 2025). With over 8,000 salaried employees and craft professionals, the firm has offices in St. Louis; Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Kansas City, Kan.; Omaha, Neb.; Phoenix; Chandler, Ariz.; Las Vegas; Denver; Austin, Channelview, Dallas, and Houston, Texas; and San Diego, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com or by following the company on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

About Grace Design Studios 

Grace Design Studios (formerly GHC-Orcutt Winslow) is a renowned, award-winning design firm with its headquarters located in Phoenix. Our strategic presence extends across key regions, with office hubs strategically positioned in Nashville, Dallas/Fort Worth, Jeffersonville/Louisville, Shreveport, and Orlando. With a diverse and talented team working with 85+ AZ school districts, we are committed to delivering innovative design solutions that transform spaces and enrich communities. Find out more at www.grace-design.com. 

Media Contacts:  

Chris Cook, chris.cook [at] west-mec.org (chris[dot]cook[at]west-mec[dot]org), 623.738.0016 for West-MEC

Patty Johnson, pattyjohnson [at] connections-marcom.com (pattyjohnson[at]connections-marcom[dot]com), 602.402.2965 for McCarthy Building Companies