Within the next couple of months expect to see notice of an open house for the armory, now the home of Northwest College’s career and technical, non degree programs such as CDL and machinery training, electrical, plumbing and the DELTA outdoors program. 

I highly encourage you to go check it out. 

The space is both a testament to how the Wyoming Military Department and NWC can work together, and how the college is increasing its ability to serve more people in the community. 

The building is being leased from the Wyoming Military Department as part of a five-year agreement to share office space and classrooms. While the college will use all of the armory building, National Guard personnel are able to use office space in other college buildings. The department also completed a big renovation of the building just prior to handing it over, including installation of new heating, removing asbestos and more. 

One large room, previously unheated, now not only has heat, but space for new specialty training simulators, a setup for electrical classes, construction and other trades. Both simulators are new, one allows students to get training on equipment like a backhoe and another is specifically for forklift training. At the end of the forklift training, the college brings in an actual forklift for a final test, after which students receive certification to drive a forklift. 

Both classes have been popular with high school students. 

When one NWC trustee commented at a recent board meeting following a tour of the facility, questioning how many of those high school students would use the college for high school enrichment but then not go on to attend the college itself, CTD program administrator Christi Greaham said that wasn’t a concern. She said those students may come back someday looking for new skills for a career change, or tell their neighbors about the program, or convince their own kids to attend someday. 

Greaham said every class they do, even if it’s just a class to help older adults work through new technology, has a bigger impact than the class alone. 

If there’s a better spirit of service to drive a program like this, I haven’t heard it.