{"id":229369,"date":"2026-02-11T14:29:48","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T00:29:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=229369"},"modified":"2026-02-11T14:29:48","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T00:29:48","slug":"advanced-manufacturing-honolulu-cc-federal-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/11\/advanced-manufacturing-honolulu-cc-federal-tour\/","title":{"rendered":"Advanced manufacturing at Honolulu CC<\/abbr> spotlighted in high-level federal tour"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Students
Attendees tour the machine shop<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Honolulu Community College welcomed Michael Cadenazzi, U.S. assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy, for a tour of its state-of-the-art Advanced Manufacturing Facility, underscoring the college\u2019s expanding role in strengthening the nation\u2019s industrial base and Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s defense-aligned workforce pipeline. Cadenazzi was in Honolulu to attend the Honolulu Defense Forum in January.<\/p>\n

\"Presentation
Jake LaBonte, master instructor, leads the tour of the classroom spaces<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The visit highlighted Honolulu CC<\/abbr>\u2019s Advanced Manufacturing Training Program, launched in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense\u2019s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS<\/abbr>) Program, the Chamber of Commerce Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s Military Affairs Council through the Kuʻi<\/span> Hao Initiative, and BG<\/abbr> Workforce. The program provides hands-on training in precision machining, fabrication and industrial manufacturing (skills essential to Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s maritime, defense and industrial sectors).<\/p>\n

“We were incredibly honored by Assistant Secretary Cadenazzi\u2019s visit,” said Honolulu CC<\/abbr> Chancellor, Karen C. Lee. “It reflects the true partnership that brought our Advanced Manufacturing Training Suite to life as we prepare Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s future machining and manufacturing workforce.”<\/p>\n

Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s first dedicated training hub for advanced manufacturing<\/h2>\n

During the tour, Cadenazzi visited the college\u2019s cutting-edge machine shop, instructional labs and hands-on training suites, where faculty and students showcased class projects, industry-aligned equipment, and the program\u2019s growing capacity to meet regional and national workforce needs. The facility, which opened in 2025, serves as Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s first dedicated training hub for advanced manufacturing and supports a diverse cohort of trainees, including active-duty military personnel, shipyard workers and local students.<\/p>\n

“Assistant Secretary Cadenazzi\u2019s visit affirmed the importance of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s role in strengthening the nation\u2019s defense industrial base,” said Pono Chong, program director for Kuʻi<\/span> Hao. “Through partnerships like this with Honolulu Community College and IBAS<\/abbr>, we are building real, job-ready pathways in advanced manufacturing that support military readiness, supply-chain resilience and long-term economic opportunity Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>.”<\/p>\n

Honolulu CC<\/abbr>\u2019s Advanced Manufacturing programs continue to evolve in response to industry demand, offering students hands-on experience with advanced tools and technologies while supporting regional and national efforts to strengthen industrial capabilities.<\/p>\n

\"Group
Representatives from Honolulu CC<\/abbr>, Kuʻi<\/span> Hao, BG<\/abbr> Workforce, U.S. Department of Defense, and the Chamber of Commerce Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> welcome Assistant Secretary Michael Cadenazzi (center with lei)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The assistant secretary\u2019s visit highlighted advanced manufacturing at Honolulu CC<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":229378,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[62,1708,71,603],"class_list":["post-229369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-honolulu-community-college","tag-manufacturing","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-workforce-development","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t