Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus celebrated the expansion of its skilled trades building with a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
“Today is a very big day for us, our students, our employers, our schools and the communities we serve,” said Dr. Sheila R. Jacobs, ATU-Ozark chancellor. “This is part of a larger vision that we have for the enhancement and the expansion of our skilled trades. This building represents growth, opportunity and the strength of our workforce. It represents skilled talent, and it represents a shared belief that workforce education changes lives and strengthens communities.”
The existing ATU-Ozark air conditioning and refrigeration building was expanded by 7,000 square feet to provide additional instructional and laboratory space for air conditioning and refrigeration, welding technology and other skilled trades.
The expansion project was made possible by a $2.75 million Arkansas Workforce Initiative HIRED (Higher Industry Readiness through Educational Development) program grant. The funds were earmarked to expand and modernize ATU-Ozark’s workforce training programs in the skilled trades sector.
“Our purpose is to make life better for our students and to make sure they leave our campuses with a quality education that will provide them and their families with a greater quality of life in the future,” said Dr. Russell Jones, ATU president. “It’s because of people like Dr. Jacobs and her team that we are seeing so much growth on this campus. ATU understands that we receive people with a variety of goals. We want to meet the students where they are. That’s why we’re No. 1 in the state in return on investment in the form of social mobility.”
Jones went on to express appreciation to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and her administration for the HIRED grant that made the ATU-Ozark skilled trades building expansion possible.
“I’m very proud of what we do,” said Jacobs. “Skilled trades are not a secondary option. They are essential. Our homes, hospitals, schools, industries…you name it, they don’t function without highly-skilled people. We honor that work today, and we honor the students and professionals who have chosen it. The growth at ATU-Ozark tells us that students and families understand the opportunity.”
Enrollment in skilled trades at ATU-Ozark has increased by 50 percent over the past two years, and concurrent skilled trades enrollment has grown by 90 percent over that same timeframe.
ATU-Ozark reported an overall preliminary fall 2026 enrollment of 2,669 students, the largest enrollment in the six-decade history of the campus.
“We know what it means when we talk about a talent pipeline,” said Jacobs. “It means something to us, and we take it very seriously. Our industry partners tell us where the gaps are. They help us validate curriculum, identify equipment needs, create work-based learning and connect students to careers. Most importantly, they hold us accountable for preparing students who are ready to contribute on day one.”
Other speakers at the ribbon cutting ceremony included Dr. Ken Warden, Arkansas Division of Higher Education commissioner; Dr. Tina Moore, Arkansas Department of Education assistant commissioner for workforce and strategic alignment; Drew Dickey, ATU director of facilities management; and Kenneth Beeler, program chair in air conditioning and refrigeration at ATU-Ozark.
“We are profoundly grateful for the investment that the HIRED grant has allowed us to make,” said Jacobs. “The $2.75 million from the HIRED grant gave ATU-Ozark the opportunity to expand training capacity in the skilled trades, and this expansion is only the beginning. Through continued support from the Arkansas Division of Higher Education, the Arkansas Office of Skills Development and our industry partners, we can become an even stronger provider of skilled talent for Arkansas. We are committed and willing to do whatever it takes.”
