Education & Workforce Development
Honorable Mention • Under 5,000
In 2015, high school students in the western side of Benton County had one option for acquiring vocational skills, and it wasn’t a convenient one.
The Northwest Technical Institute (NWTI) in Springdale was over an hour away from their schools.
At the time, more than 40% of Gravette’s high school seniors had no intention of pursuing secondary education before entering the workforce.
Recognizing the essential nature of students’ ability to compete in the job market, administrators went to work in developing a career program designed especially for skilled labor and trades.
The first step in that direction was in 2016 when Gravette became a satellite campus for NWTI with the introduction of an onsite welding program. Today, that program has expanded to all of western Benton County and is now called the Western Benton County Career Center (WBCCC).
The Gravette school district’s vision of the WBCCC was brought to life by the partnership of NWTI and several Gravette and northwest Arkansas businesses.
In 2018, the center underwent a significant expansion due to voters’ approval of the school district’s proposal for a $2.1 million increase.
The WBCCC now offers an array of educational programs, including basic and advanced welding, heating and air conditioning, refrigeration and automotive service technology. Night courses focusing primarily on welding skills are also offered to adults in the community.
Population: 3,146
Mayor: Kurt Maddox
County: Benton
Region: Northwest
What began as a small-town dream has since had a supremely real impact. When career center students reach high school graduation, nearly all of them have well-paying jobs lined up.
The WBCCC is directly meeting the need for vocational skills that have become difficult for employers to find in recent decades.
Worth noting is the ease with which school districts across Arkansas can replicate Gravette’s project through local partnerships.
Perhaps best of all is the lifelong impact on the lives of young people entering the workforce and the economic benefits that result.