Carolyn and George Armstrong (center) cut the ribbon at FTCC’s Carolyn & George Armstrong Building Trades Center on May 1, 2026.
Fayetteville Technical Community College unveiled its newest training facility Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Carolyn & George Armstrong Building Trades Center.
The name of the building honors the generosity of Carolyn and George Armstrong, who donated a historic $1 million to benefit FTCC’s Building Trades programs.
The Armstrongs joined FTCC President Dr. Mark Sorrells and local and state dignitaries to share the honor of cutting the ribbon at Friday’s ceremony.
“Through the support of the NC General Assembly and the generosity of Carolyn and George Armstrong, we have transformed what was once a car dealership into a modern training hub — one that will allow us to expand enrollment across all four of our construction trades programs, strengthen hands‑on learning and prepare students for high‑demand careers,” Sorrells said. “Today marks an important milestone in our ongoing effort to build a comprehensive workforce ecosystem for Cumberland County and the Sandhills Region.”
Located on Bragg Boulevard, the 22,000-square-foot building will house FTCC’s plumbing and carpentry programs, offering classrooms and lab space. The electrical and HVAC programs will remain on the main Fayetteville campus, but the additional space will allow for expanded enrollment across all four construction trades programs.
The extensive building renovation was made possible through more than $4 million worth of investment — $3.82 million in state funding, a $200,000 grant from the Cannon Foundation, and $75,000 from the Fund for the Carolinas’ Longleaf Fund.
Carolyn and George Armstrong (at right) and their family stand in front of FTCC’s Carolyn & George Armstrong Building Trades Center.
Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Chairman Kirk deViere, who was a part of the NC General Assembly when funding was secured for the project, Sen. Tom McInnis and Rep. Diane Wheatley each spoke before the ribbon-cutting.
“What we’re celebrating here is more than a building — it’s a pathway,” deViere said. “It’s a pathway for a young person in Cumberland County to learn a skill, earn a credential and build a career right here at home, right here in Cumberland County.”
The Armstrongs’ donation will specifically support the Building Trades programs, including by providing scholarships for students in the construction trades programs.
Carolyn Armstrong is a member of the FTCC Foundation Board of Directors and a co-founder of C&S Commercial Properties. Her father, J.P. Riddle, was a land developer with a rich history of philanthropy, particularly in support of education. Carolyn Armstrong has continued that legacy and said the building trades have special meaning for her.
“The scholarships are very important,” she said. “And everything they do in this building is what we do in our homes.”
FTCC Foundation Executive Director Jennifer McFadyen Hammond confirmed that the Armstrongs’ gift is the largest donation from private citizens in the Foundation’s 41-year history.
“We are profoundly grateful to Carolyn and George Armstrong for their extraordinary gift,” Hammond said. “For decades, the Armstrong and Riddle families have played a vital role in shaping the building trades industry in Fayetteville and Cumberland County. This investment will create transformative programming, workforce development, and scholarship opportunities for FTCC students for generations to come.”
FTCC President Dr. Mark Sorrells speaks before the ceremonial ribbon-cutting to open the Carolyn & George Armstrong Building Trades Center on May 1, 2026.
The Carolyn & George Armstrong Building Trades Center opens at a time of booming need for skilled workers in the trades industries.
FTCC currently has more than 1,000 students enrolled across its four construction trades programs and anticipates the number of graduates in each program to nearly double over the next three years.
In response to industry needs, FTCC has focused not only on increasing enrollment in the trades, but also on expanding opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience through paid learning programs with community employment partners. These opportunities include internships, state-registered apprenticeships, work-based learning, and “earn-as-you-learn” agreements.
“When students learn by doing and earn while learning, they gain confidence, clarity, and purpose,” Sorrells said. “And employers gain workers who are prepared, committed, and ready to contribute on day one.”
Sorrells acknowledged a number of long-standing partners, including the Longleaf Pine Realtors Association, the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville, Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity, Kingdom Community Development Corporation, and RayWest DesignBuild, for helping to support and shape FTCC’s trades programs, allowing the college to adapt to evolving workforce needs.
“The current labor shortage is creating real challenges for employers and real estate developers, and we hear it consistently: our region needs more skilled workers,” Sorrells said. “That’s exactly why these partnerships matter. They keep us aligned with industry needs and ensure our students are learning the skills that lead directly to opportunity.”
Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Chairman Kirk deViere speaks before the ribbon-cutting.
FTCC Carpentry Instructor Troy Whitcome spoke at the ribbon-cutting, recalling an early conversation in the planning phase of the Building Trades Center in which he and other instructors were asked for input to make the space meet the programs’ training needs.
“That conversation was the spark,” Whitcome said. “How should this space be redesigned to meet the evolving needs of our students? What tools, equipment, and learning environment would prepare them to thrive in today’s modern construction industry? We are not simply opening a new building today. We are laying the foundation for the next generation of builders.”
