Six-month campus modernization project adds new CNC equipment, expands HVAC training space, modernizes electrical training labs, and reconfigures welding facilities.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ERIE, Pa. – July 29, 2026 – Erie Institute of Technology (EIT), a leading trade school and career training center in Erie, Pennsylvania, has announced the location’s comprehensive training lab modernization project to transform learning spaces across several of its skilled trade programs is in its final stages and expected to wrap up over the final weeks of summer.
Completed over the past six months, the project includes significant upgrades to the school’s skilled training labs, where students practice hands-on skills in the CNC Machinist Technician, Electronics Technician, Electrician Training, Welding Technology, and HVAC-R Technology programs. Improvements include the installation of four new HAAS CNC Mini Mills and Lathes, the consolidation of the electrical training lab into a single workspace, reconfigured welding lab space, and a substantially expanded HVAC training lab.
“[The Electrical Lab expansion] will give students more space to learn, practice, and build their skills with clarity and confidence,”said EIT Program Director Tom Holman.
“These improvements are all about enhancing the learning experience, making it more efficient, more intuitive, and ultimately more engaging for our Electrician program students.”
The expanded footprint allows EIT to nearly double the size of its electrical training lab, creating a single, centralized workspace for students in the electrician program. The welding lab was also reconfigured to better support hands-on instruction, while the HVAC training lab received the most significant expansion.
“The HVAC lab expansion probably will have the biggest impact – giving us the ability to increase that class size by about 30-40%,Holman confirmed.
As HVAC systems continue to evolve alongside changing refrigerant regulations, access to modern equipment helps prepare graduates for the technologies they will encounter in the field.
The investment reflects EIT’s continued commitment to providing career-focused education that mirrors real workplace environments. Students who train on the equipment they’ll eventually use in their respective fields build practical skills before entering the workforce, helping them transition confidently into entry-level positions after graduation.
Prospective students interested in exploring EIT’s upgraded training labs and skilled trade programs can learn more or schedule a campus visit at ErieIT.edu/programs.
About Erie Institute of Technology (ErieIT.edu)
Founded in 1958, Erie Institute of Technology prepares students for in-demand technical careers in HVAC-R Technology, Welding Technology, Electronics, CNC Machining, Industrial Maintenance, Computer and Web Design, and more. The institute combines classroom instruction with practical lab experience and job placement assistance to help students enter the workforce with real-world skills employers value.
Media Contact
Paul Fitzgerald, CEO of Erie Institute of Technology