Tech School Fills Talent Pipeline

With a brand new building, strong ties to industry, and buy-in from local schools, the Yakima Valley Technical Skills Center (YV Tech) is playing a larger role than ever in terms of supporting business growth and competitiveness.  YV-Tech offers a wide variety of courses, but its move to offer robotics, computer technology, and digital media is positioning the school to support innovative companies within the region and across Washington state.  “The Skills Center’s courses and curricula are built in partnership with business”, said New Vision’s David McFadden.  “These connections with local industry help ensure that students get real world training.”

YV Tech is also leading the region’s science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) initiative.  Fifteen local school districts are partnering the YV Tech to integrate these disciplines and ensure that local students gain the interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed within modern manufacturing operations.

Earlier this year YV Tech students moved into a brand new modern building that is almost twice as large as their old facility.  With modern classrooms and equipment the school has the capacity to increase enrollment from 800 to 1200.  A second phase expansion to the building is planned that would bring the total square footage to over 100,000 square feet of new complexes and classrooms.