HUNTSVILLE — To answer a demand for engineers in the workforce, the University of Alabama in Huntsville will hold a groundbreaking Friday for an engineering building.

The 80,000 square-foot building will feature modernized, world-class research and teaching facilities, the university said.

“The new Engineering Building that will ensure UAH continues to meet the state’s workforce needs through recruitment and retention of the most talented faculty and students, directly impacting the prosperity of the region,” UAH said in a statement announcing the groundbreaking.

The new facility will be west of the current Engineering Building, adjacent to the campus lake along John Wright Drive.

“Expanding the new engineering facility will advance the university’s flagship program, promote collaborative learning, and foster innovation in fast-growing technical areas that UAH supports,” the statement read. There are 2,867 students enrolled in the College of Engineering.

The groundbreaking is 11:30 a.m. Friday.