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Northwest Technology Center

NWTC Overview

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Northwest Technology Center (NWTC) with campuses in Alva and Fairview is one of 29 Technology Centers in the State of Oklahoma serving high school and adult students, as well as business and industry customers. The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE) regulates all Oklahoma Technology Centers as well as Agriculture Education Programs, Family and Consumer Science Programs, and Technology Education Programs in the comprehensive high schools. The ODCTE also operates training programs for correctional institutions for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.. The Oklahoma system of vocational-technical education was created by legislation in 1963.   Northwest Technology Center was established in 1969, with classes beginning in the 1972-73 school year at both the Alva and Fairview Campuses.

The Northwest Technology Center District (V-10) stretches from the Oklahoma/Kansas state line south to just beyond the Canton Lake area. It encompasses all of Woods County, the majority of Major County and parts of Blaine, Alfalfa, Woodward, Harper and Dewey counties. The NWTC District includes eight partner school districts:

  • Aline-Cleo
  • Alva
  • Canton
  • Cherokee
  • Fairview
  • Freedom
  • Ringwood
  • Waynoka

The NWTC District also includes portions of the following school districts:

  • Hennessey (portion in Major Co.)
  • Mooreland (portion in Major Co.)
  • Okeene (portion in Major Co.)
  • Seiling (portion in Major Co.)
  • Thomas-Fay-Custer (portion in Blaine Co.)
  • Timberlake (portion in Major Co.)

High school students and home-schooled students residing in the school districts listed above are considered “in-district” and may attend day classes tuition free. Other high school and home-schooled students not residing in the school districts listed above are considered “out-of-district” and tuition charges would apply. Adult students residing within the above described District can attend and pay in-district tuition rates; other adult students will be charged an out-of-district tuition rate. A written agreement between Autry Technology Center, Chisholm Trail Technology Center, High Plains Technology Center, Pioneer Technology Center, and Northwest Technology Center allows adult students residing within any of these technology center districts to attend career programs and pay in-district tuition rates (certain conditions apply).

Click here to view the NWTC District Map by Sending School.

The technology center system was created to consolidate resources for expensive technology education programs to serve a wide geographical area.   Initially, the Oklahoma vocational-technical school districts were designed to serve primarily high school juniors and seniors and adults; however in the 1980’s services to business and industry customers greatly expanded. Presently training for adults along with customized business and industry training account for over 90% of the NWTC student enrollment! In the 2023 fiscal year, NWTC had over 10,333 enrollments in all programs combined.

Governance

NWTC is governed by five elected members of a Board of Education who operate under the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act, NWTC Policies, and a Code of Ethics.   Each elected member represents a designated population zone in the district that is revised periodically in accordance with U.S. Census Data. The term of office of each member is five years on a staggered basis. The Board of Education employs a Superintendent who functions as the CEO of the organization. The Superintendent supervises two Assistant Superintendents/Campus Directors who are responsible for the operations of the two NWTC campuses. The Assistant Superintendents supervise all staff on their respective campus. The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) consists of the Superintendent and two Assistant Superintendents.

Program Areas

NWTC offers the following educational program areas: Career Programs, Business and Industry Services (BIS) and Short-Term Courses: Career Programs – NWTC offers 36 career options within 10 different career training areas. The career options, which are approved by the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technical Education (ODCTE), allow high school students to receive credit towards high school graduation and/or the skills needed for gainful employment. Both high school students and adult students have opportunities to earn certifications and/or licensure in numerous occupational areas. High school students attend the Technology Center either morning or afternoon and then attend their regular high school the other part of the day. Adult students attend either full-time or part-time during the traditional school week, Monday – Friday, and during the traditional school year August – May. Students in the Practical Nursing Program follow a 11-month school year November – October; Business and Industry Services – NWTC‘s Business and Industry Services (BIS) program provides training upon demand. The staff works with businesses to customize and design training to meet specific needs. Support services such as business consultation, securing resources for training, and assisting new and expanding businesses are available; Short-Term Courses – Short-Term training courses at NWTC are shorter duration courses that provide adults opportunities to enhance skill sets, broaden career interests, earn industry certifications, and explore leisure interests. These type of courses provide training for adults who may not have the time and/or resources to attend a career option training program.

NWTC offers a variety of services to support the educational programs and meet the needs of our customers, partners, and stakeholders. The major areas that focus on and support our educational programs are:

  • Career Services
  • Counseling and Guidance
  • Financial Assistance
  • Assessment
  • Business Consultation

NWTC strives to ensure student success through these support services; ultimately enhancing the job skills of individuals and the profitability of businesses contributes to the economic development of our customers.

NWTC delivers educational programs and services through a variety of mechanisms designed to meet not only the needs of learners of all ages, but also different learning styles and abilities. Various delivery methods include, but are not limited to:

  • Traditional classroom settings
  • Labs for student interaction
  • Use of virtual technology
  • Workplace simulation/customized training
  • Internships and clinical experiences
  • Virtual platforms and on-line courses

Vision and Mission

The culture at NWTC encourages a team approach to achieving the vision and mission; open lines of communication, participatory management styles of administrators and an overall attitude of “work hard, play hard” characterize a culture that is dedicated to meeting the needs of the students. By striving to be industry-focused, student-centered, and performance-driven, our students have a greater probability of success.

Mission – Creating success in education, the workplace, and life.
Vision – Northwest Technology Center creates opportunities through high quality educational experiences.

Click here to view a summary of the NWTC Strategic Plan.

Workforce Profile

The NWTC Workforce consists of 53 full-time employees dedicated to working to achieve the NWTC Mission and Vision.  The full-time employees are segmented into four groups:

Administration – Superintendent/CEO, Assistant Superintendents.

Certified Instructors.

Professional Services – Coordinators, Directors, Managers, Specialized Trainers.

Support Staff – Administrative Assistants, Maintenance, Custodial.

In addition to the full-time employees, approximately 72 part-time employees and 130 volunteers are also considered key segments of the NWTC Workforce. Instructors for short-term classes and business and industry classes, substitute instructors, evening registrars, and part-time custodians are all vital aspects of NWTC educational programs.   Many non-paid persons are extremely valuable to achieving the NWTC Mission; volunteers that serve on advisory committees, guest presentors, specialists who supervise students in work-site learning situations, all make important contributions to providing quality career and technology education.

A key element that engages these groups in achieving NWTC’s Mission and Vision begins with having a well-qualified staff with instructors, highly skilled in their occupational area. Additional key elements that engage staff include a workplace culture where trust in leadership is present, the empowerment of staff is practiced, open lines of communication are evident and participation in professional development opportunities is encouraged. NWTC has in place an employee evaluation system that promotes improvement of job duties. NWTC has been the recipient of a performance based award, the OKACTE Gold Star School designation 15 times in the past 19 years. Among employees NWTC is known as a family-friendly workplace.

Safe School Environment

NWTC has a district-wide safety plan monitored by a safety committee with administrative oversight. Each campus has a certified law enforcement officer that serves as a School Resource Officer. Periodic drills for students and staff include: fire drills, severe storm drills, earthquake drills, intruder drills, etc. Specialized in-house training for NWTC staff members includes the areas of blood borne pathogens, general safety, Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automated External Defibrillator (AED), crisis management/NIMs, and Material Safety Data Sheets. Safe-Rooms to protect staff and students from the violent Oklahoma tornados and severe storms are located at both campuses. A health and wellness committee also functions to provide wellness opportunities for staff members. Memberships to two wellness centers are available to interested staff members.

Facilities & Funding

NWTC has two campuses with buildings designed and constructed to facilitate career and technology education instruction. Both campus facilities are a combination of buildings built beginning in 1971 with numerous additions to accommodate various training initiatives. New facilities to house Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) Education and Practical Nursing were constructed in 2015. NWTC is funded by a combination of local ad valorem taxes assessed in the NWTC school district, state and federal funds, and various grants from private foundations. The funding mechanism includes a general fund for operations and a building fund that can be used for building maintenance, improvements and new construction.

Regulatory Requirements

NWTC operates in a highly regulated environment that requires compliance with local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations. NWTC functions within the Title 70 Oklahoma State School Laws and the Rules & Regulations of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, as well as numerous federal laws such as The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), Family Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), etc. Our local Board of Education provides policies and procedures to facilitate the day-to-day operation of the technology center.

Various other regulatory agencies, standards, and codes provide guidelines that are infused into many of the daily practices at NWTC, including the Oklahoma Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, National Fire Protection Association, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Incident Management System (NIMS).

Accreditations/Certifications

NWTC is accredited by Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) and the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE). Other accrediting agencies utilized for specific programs and services include, Automotive Service Excellence/National Automotive Training Education Foundation, Oklahoma Board of Nursing, Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology, Project Lead the Way, and the Oklahoma State Accrediting Agency for Veterans Education and Training.

Faculty teaching secondary students, counselors, and administrators are certified through the OSDE along with various endorsements by the ODCTE. Additional professional development programs such as Student Services Endorsement, School Business Manager Training, Business and Industry Services Certification, and “Tech Cent$ Training” for Human Resource Manager are available to staff as appropriate.