Clarkdale AZ (June 5, 2019) – Yavapai College leadership and elected officials of the Verde Valley met over lunch on Tuesday at the Yavapai College Sedona Center to discuss the construction of a new skilled trades center in the Verde Valley.
These preliminary discussions were led by Yavapai College President Dr. Lisa Rhine and her executive leadership team. A number of elected officials were in attendance, including representatives from Camp Verde, Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Sedona, and Yavapai Apache Nation.
The new facility, which is being referred to as the ‘Skilled Trades Center at Yavapai College’ would provide a number of career and technical education programs in the Verde Valley in a building that has a similar look, feel, and flexibility to the College’s CTE Center near the Prescott Airport.
“I’ve heard your requests for the need of skilled trades programming in the Verde Valley,” said Dr. Rhine. “Yavapai College is here and we are ready to begin the process in satisfying this need to provide the educational opportunities and infuse the workforce on the east side of Yavapai County.”
The plan is for the center to be built on the Yavapai College Verde Valley Campus as a completely new structure.
Programming will be developed based off of input from a core group of elected officials, industry employers, and education leaders from the east side of Yavapai County.
The initial timeline for the center will start in August with program planning. Construction is planned to begin in the summer of 2020 with the goal to have the center open for classes for the fall 2021 semester pending District Governing Board approval.
The Skilled Trades Center would be in addition to the already planned renovation of Building L on the YC Verde Valley Campus. While Building L programming will focus on health care and advanced manufacturing, the new Skilled Trades Center will not include any of the same programming.
Future meetings will be scheduled to continue the discussion on programming.
Yavapai College has six locations throughout Yavapai County, including campuses in Prescott and the Verde Valley Campus in Clarkdale and centers in Prescott Valley, near the Prescott Airport, Chino Valley, and Sedona.
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1 Comment
Excellent leadership by Yavapai College President Dr. Rhine. The Verde Valley has been asking for a YAVAPAI COLLEGE Career Technical Education Center for training building trades amd auto repair (including diesel) skills for many years. The extra money generated from Verde Valley taxes is more than enough to pay for it.
Our new Yavapai College President has listened to our politial leaders, as well as other citizens, who appeared at a Yavapai College Governing Board meeting in April and made this request. Ggrass root efforts can work.