The 100,000 square feet Automotive Partners Building is officially done with construction and should be ready for students to move in by the Fall.

It’s called the Automotive Partners building because different companies are working together as partners to help students.

The building was funded by auto industry donations and General Obligation Bond money.

“The total private donations for the building was about 1/3 of its construction,” Dean of Technology, Steve Berklite stated.

Southland Motor Car Dealers Association and Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association each donated $500,000.

$100,000 was also received by Don Knabe, Los Angeles County Supervisor of the 4^th district.

Berklite stated, “out major goal is to provide support to the automotive industry.”

Southland Motor Car Dealers Association and Northwood University will be moving into the building along with Cerritos‘ Program Facilitator, Amna Jara and Director of Advanced Transportation Technology and Energy Initiative, Jannet Malig.

“Classes will be used for Northwood,” Malig said, “Cerritos classes during the day and Northwood at night.”

Berklite said, “the building has three class rooms, one of which is the telecommunication center, two conference rooms, three offices are leased to Southland Motor Car Dealers Association, two offices for Northwood University and two offices for Cerritos College.”

“It has an exhibition demonstration area to represent a dealership showroom,” he added.

Jara stated, “one of the class rooms is big which can either be two combined classes or one big room.”

Northwood University Program Center Manager and Executive Director for Southland Motor Car Dealers Association, Todd Leutheuser stated, “it’s good for the students to have all these outside partners because the partners see their future employees here.”

The official ribbon cutting for the Automotive Partners Building will be held on May 21.