Richard Gwin/Journal World-Photo. Free State High School First Robotics Team members, from left to right: Dimtri Smith 15, a sophomore; Zacq Moore 17, a senior; Wynn Feddema, 17, a senior; and Anna Faust 17, a senior used Jerry a robot built by the club to do the groundbreaking on Thursday September 18, 2014 at Lawrence Public Schools College and Career Center at 2920 Haskell Ave.

A new technical education campus in Lawrence began the first steps of taking shape Thursday when the Lawrence school district and other stakeholders broke ground for the upcoming College and Career Center.

Under cozy, overcast weather, up to 100 people witnessed a droid controlled by students from Free State High School’s First Robotics Team perform the groundbreaking duties, marking the beginning of construction and illustrating the kind of technical education that will soon take place there.

“This project represents the Lawrence community’s continued investments in public education and our children’s bright future,” superintendent Rick Doll said.

The 33,000-square-foot facility will open in August 2015. The mission is to develop skills for demanding and high-paying jobs by offering classes worth college credit, tuition-free, with instruction from business and industry professionals.

Classes will be available to juniors and seniors at FSHS and Lawrence High School.

“Our abstract classroom simulations are great, but genuine, profession-based learning, projects that partner students with business and industry members — that’s what will really distinguish our students,” said Patrick Kelly, director of career and technical education.

The facility will also work closely and share resources with the Dwayne Peaslee Technical Education Center, which plans to operate out of the former Honeywell Industries building next door. The adult-focused Peaslee Center, which is still pulling together funding, is also aiming for an August 2015 opening.

The $5.7 million needed to create the College and Career Center was included in the $92.5 million bond issue that school district voters approved by over 70 percent in April 2013.

“Lawrence teachers, staff and parents are fiercely supportive of their schools and passionate advocates on behalf of their students,” Lawrence school board president Shannon Kimball said. “Frankly, we wouldn’t want it any other way.”

The facility will offer spaces for courses on engineering, computer technology, robotics, public safety, bioscience, health care and administration. In a survey of over a thousand middle and high school students and their parents, Kelly said, 80 percent indicated they would be interested, or would be interested in their child, taking a class at the College and Career Center.

“Lawrence has needed this for a long time,” Doll said after the ceremony.