Join Us to Celebrate CNM’s 60th Anniversary Celebration and Grand Opening of the Ted Chavez Trades and Technologies Center

CNM will celebrate its 60th anniversary and the grand opening of the state’s premier skilled trades education and training facility – the Ted Chavez Trades and Technologies Center (TTC) – on Aug. 27 from 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. The event will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the TTC, followed by tours of TTC and Main Campus that will highlight CNM’s evolution over the past six decades and its modern-day facilities and learning environments. There will also be a CNM alumni and FUSE Makerspace vendor fair, food trucks, and other activities to honor the history of Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute (TVI) and the future of CNM.

“There are thousands of people in our community who have great careers and great lives because of the caring support of our faculty and staff over the decades and the exceptional education they received at CNM, or TVI as it was fondly known until 2006,” says CNM President Tracy Hartzler. “We’re thrilled to invite everybody in our community who appreciates CNM or has a connection to CNM to come celebrate our 60th anniversary with us.

“It’s also fitting that the grand opening of the Ted Chavez Trades and Technologies Center is part of our 60th anniversary celebration. When we opened as TVI in 1965, we were firmly committed to the trades. And 60 years later, this modern, cutting-edge facility shows our community that we remain committed to the trades for decades to come.”

The TTC, located along Buena Vista Drive on Main Campus, will house the majority of CNM’s trades programs, including Welding, Electrical Trades, Carpentry and Construction, Plumbing, Industrial Automation Technology (Mechatronics), and Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR). The 60,000 square foot facility includes lab spaces for all the programs, 9 classrooms, academic support spaces, administrative office space, and outdoor gathering areas.

The building design is focused on adaptability and collaboration, with several modern features including:

• Coexisting classroom and lab space to support each specific trade to ensure easier transitions from lecture to hands-on learning,
• Outdoor space in each lab to provide additional work and storage space,
• New, state-of-the-art equipment for students to learn and hone their skills,
• Exposed and color-coded internal systems, like water, electrical, and heating, to provide real-time teaching opportunities to learners.

“The entire TTC building was designed to provide hands-on learning opportunities,” says Sionna Grassbaugh, Interim Dean of the School of Skilled Trades & Arts. “From the exposed piping to the larger classroom and lab spaces, this space is dedicated to providing learners an engaging, state-of-the-art learning environment. The increase in space also means we can support more learners, and in return support the growing need for skilled tradespeople in our state and across the country.”

Our state and country need a larger pipeline of skilled tradespeople to fill the growing workforce need as an aging trades workforce reaches retirement age without sufficient replacements. The design and vision for the TTC was a collaborative effort with input received from the trades industry and employers in central New Mexico, as well as local and state government officials and economic development organizations. Voters also supported the vision of the TTC, voting in favor of bond measures to help fund the construction of the facility.

The building is named after Ted Chavez, a former student who studied HVAC. He also taught at then-TVI, inspiring, teaching, and mentoring students for 19 years. He played a pivotal role in developing CNM's trades programs and helping students acquire the skills needed to have successful trades careers in the local economy. His name is currently on the existing Ted Chavez Hall trades buildings on Main Campus, and his legacy will continue to be honored through the new facility.

Along with the ribbon cutting ceremony, the event will serve as the cornerstone celebration of CNM’s 60th anniversary and the legacy of Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute (TVI). View a timeline of key moments in CNM history. The event is free and open to the public and will feature a variety of activities, including:

• TTC tours
• Main Campus tours
• CNM Alumni and FUSE Makerspace vendor fair
• Static display of TVI and CNM memorabilia
• Food trucks
• Lawn games
• And more!

“This event is an opportunity for us to celebrate the inspiring legacy and impact of CNM and our students over the past six decades,” President Hartzler said. “And we’re excited to provide our community members and our partners with an opportunity to see the outstanding facilities that will help us continue to advance our vision of Changing Lives, Building Community for many years to come.”

The grand opening and anniversary celebration is scheduled for August 27 from 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. on CNM's Main Campus. You can RSVP to attend the event here. We hope you'll join us for this special occasion!