SENMC Breaks Ground on Trades x Technologies Building

(CARLSBAD, NM) Southeast New Mexico College marked a major milestone on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, with the official groundbreaking for its new Trades x Technologies Building, also known as “T2” or “T-squared”. This momentous occasion is the first step in advancing workforce development and technical training in our region.

The new state of the art facility is estimated to be 42,392 square feet and will house new programs in Electrical Technology, Oil & Gas Technology, Radiological Control Technology, Environmental Management Technology and safety training, as well as space for current Industrial Maintenance and Natural Gas Compression Technology programs. The facility will include indoor shop spaces, outdoor training areas, simulator rooms, classroom/lab spaces for instrumentation and programmable logic controllers training, a computer lab, testing space, and offices.

 “The outpouring of support from so many industry and government partners has been validating, and we are so grateful,” said Kevin Beardmore, SENMC President.  “We look forward to working with all of them to realize the full potential of the new building.”

SENMC Board of Trustees Chair, Tiffany Frintz, said “With our new facility we are taking a bold step forward. We are going ensure that our students are going to have access to state-of-the-art labs, classrooms, and training spaces that all reflect the needs of our workforce today. This building will be dedicated to the trades and technology fields, areas that drive our economy, sustain our industries, and provide stable rewarding careers for our graduates. From industrial maintenance to information technology, from energy to the advanced manufacturing of oil and gas, this facility will prepare the next generation of skilled professionals who will keep New Mexico strong.”

 Construction of the facility will be conducted by the Jaynes Corporation with an estimated completion time of 22 months.

The project is supported by a United States Department of Energy grant that provided a $11.7 million, five-year grant in 2023 to kickstart the programming that will be housed in this facility, $5 million provided by the voters of State of New Mexico through a November 2024 higher education general obligation bond, and a transformative $10 million investment by the Permian Strategic Partnership, which is comprised of these member companies:

• BPX Energy
• ChampionX
• Chevron
• Civitas Resources
• ConocoPhillips
• Coterra Energy
• Devon Energy
• Diamondback Energy
• Energy Transfer
• EOG Resources
• ExxonMobil
• Halliburton
• Helmerich & Payne
• Kinetik
• Liberty Energy
• Mewbourne Oil Company
• Occidental
• Oncor
• Ovintiv
• Permian Resources
• Phillips 66
• Plains All American
• ProPetro
• SLB
• Targa Resources
• The Texas Tech University System
• The University of Texas System
• WaterBridge Resources
• Western Midstream

City of Carlsbad Mayor Rick Lopez said “This new program will open countless doors for our students in trades and technology fields. It’s not just about creating opportunities; it’s about improving the quality of life of our residents and producing highly skilled employees for our industry partners. Southeast New Mexico College’s independence has truly paved a way for growth, innovation, and new beginnings. We are excited to see what the future holds for Carlsbad and the entire region as this vision becomes a reality. On behalf of the City of Carlsbad, I want to congratulate every single person at Southeast New Mexico College who has worked tirelessly to bring this project to life. Your dedication is opening a world of possibilities of education for our children, our workforce, and our community.”