 The vision of a transformed Appalachian region drew closer to reality Tuesday with the grand opening of the Haas E. Kentucky Advanced Manufacturing Institute in Paintsville. The building is a 40,000 square foot workforce training facility. The school will offer 16 week training programs for positions in advanced manufacturing with a goal of building skilled workforce that will attract advanced manufacturing in the region. Manufacturers worldwide are struggling to hire qualified workers, with 3.5 million of these jobs expected to go unfilled by the year 2025. The energy that you see here, the enthusiasm, the passion that people have, this is what it means to Kentucky. It means hope. It means opportunity. It means economic development. All of these things are going to translate into opportunity for people. Students at the school train using state of the art Haas equipment for positions such as computer numerical control mechanics as well as machine building and tool maintenance technicians in aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries. I've always dealt with metal, combination welder, come from a welding background family, a machinist. I thought it was a great opportunity and you just don't see it around and think it's a great deal. The school's first class began 13 weeks ago with students ranging from 18 to 55 years old. This means a new day, a brighter future for many in eastern Kentucky. We're retraining our exceptionally skilled workforce for new careers in the advanced manufacturing world. Haas is the top American manufacturer of CNC machine tools. In Paintsville, Shelby Porter, EKB News.