Ozarka College is proud to announce a new technical center will be coming soon to the Mountain View community. Ozarka recently acquired a property three miles north of the junction of AR 5, 9, and 14.   The new property has buildings with sufficient space to house Ozarka's growing technical program offerings in Stone County. The Mountain View Technical Center will open for the Fall 2024 semester and will offer technical certificates in Skilled Trades and Welding Technology. Driven by community and local industry needs, the new Skilled Trades certificate will focus on electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and construction training in preparation for high demand careers and seamless transition to apprenticeship and journeyman opportunities.    

"It is exciting to see this expansion of technical education in Mountain View, " said Dr. Richard Dawe, Ozarka president.   "We look forward to the first cohort of students entering this fall. This technical center will provide an outlet to train our future technicians in the region and provide the skills necessary to advance in high-demand, life-changing careers. "

In the coming months the Mountain View Technical Center will begin the renovation and installation phase of this project in preparation for students to begin in August. Identification and acquisition of the new technical center location followed a year-long assessment of community and regional workforce needs. In addition to having outgrown its existing welding center facility, Ozarka also recognized the growing demand throughout the region for individuals trained in Skilled Trades.

Like welding, Ozarka's new skilled trades program will not only be offered to students traditionally enrolled at the College, but also to area high school students. Ozarka College is officially designated as a regional Secondary Technical Center by the Career Education and Workforce Development Board and may provide secondary technical training to area high school students. Secondary technical centers are designed to provide career and technical education programs too costly for the local high schools to offer.

To learn more about Ozarka's new offerings at the Mountain View Technical Center, please contact the Admissions office at 870-368-2300 or at admissions@ozarka.edu. If you would like to know more about the renovation project or if you are interested in supporting these new technical education opportunities, please contact Dr. Josh Wilson with the Ozarka College Foundation at 870-368-2060 or at foundation@ozarka.edu.