Several government officials and business leaders dug the first dirt on the site of a new technology training center in Smyrna.

Nissan Executive Vice-President Jose Munoz, Governor Haslam, Tennessee Board of Regents officials along with other state and local leaders were on hand Monday for the ground breaking for a 150-thousand square foot, 35-million dollar facility just off Nissan Parkway. The tech center will prepare workers for advanced manufacturing jobs in robotics, engineering and maintenance.

The tech center will be an expansion of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology of Murfreesboro. Nissan and the college will combine efforts to train new auto industry workers. By the time equipment is purchased for training, the total cost will be about 50-million dollars.