The William N. Pennington Foundation has given an historic $4.3 million donation to Truckee Meadows Community College Foundation that will significantly benefit workforce training in Northern Nevada.
“This is the largest gift we’ve ever received at TMCC,” said Gretchen Alt Sawyer, Executive Director of the TMCC Foundation. “The William N. Pennington Foundation gave this generous donation when its Board saw the greatly increasing workforce development needs in Northern Nevada.”
TMCC will use the multi-million dollar donation to complete the second phase of renovation and remodel at the Applied Technology Center, and to inaugurate a unique Technical Pathways option for college and high school students.
“The region is expected to experience significant job growth in the next five years, and the gift from William N. Pennington Foundation will provide high school graduates with the opportunity for immediate employment in well-paying jobs or the option to continue on to college upon graduation,” said Jim New, Dean of Technical Sciences. “The gift will also expand the Edison site, which is vital for the student growth we are experiencing in the technical areas.”
Two dedicated classrooms and office space at the Applied Technology Center are targeted for the new technical career program, and renovations will benefit both TMCC and Technical Pathways students.
“We worked with Washoe County School District to create a Technical Pathways option for students in their junior and senior years of high school,” Sawyer said. “It is a dual-credit system where the students will add technical coursework to their curriculum and graduate with a high school diploma in one hand and a college certificate of achievement or skills certificate in the other.”
The certificates possible include programs in:
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Architecture
- Automotive
- Construction Management
- Diesel Technology
- Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machine Technician
- Energy Technologies
- Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC/R)
- Logistics Technician
- Production Technician
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)
- Welding
“This is a great opportunity for students who haven’t elected to go to one of the signature academies and it will let them shine in an area they’re talented in while filling an expanding need in the region for skilled technical staff,” said Melissa Olsen, Principal of TMCC High School.
The Technical Pathways program will begin with capacity for 50 eleventh grade students in fall 2016. Washoe County School District (WCSD) students will apply to Technical Pathways through the TMCC High School. The application forms will be posted on the TMCC High School website.
History
A feasibility study for the Technical Pathways project was conducted by TMCC and WCSD staff:
- Scott Bailey, WCSD Chief Academic Officer
- Dana Ryan, WCSD Director of Signature Academies and Career and Technical Education
- Gail Carson, WCSD Controller
- Susan Mayes-Smith, TMCC High School Principal
- Jim New, Dean of Technical Sciences, TMCC
- Rachel Solemsaas, Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services, TMCC
- Gretchen Alt Sawyer, Executive Director of the TMCC Foundation
This committee found that there is an overwhelming need for a technical career path, that the TMCC location and costs would be operable, and that a relationship to existing WCSD programs existed for this project.
The study was presented to WCSD, and the Board of Trustees unanimously approved the project at its May 26 meeting. Following approval, the TMCC Foundation submitted a proposal to the William N. Pennington Foundation.
The William N. Pennington Foundation will have the option to rename the facility, and will officially decide by December. Total cost of Phase II renovation combined with classroom and training lab space for the Technical Pathways program is $4,376,080.
For more information, please call the TMCC Foundation at 775-674-7648. Interested students and parents may learn more about the Technical Pathways option at 775-674-7648.