Archive for March 2021
Bridgerland Technical College Announces New Health Sciences Building
As it celebrates its 50th year, Bridgerland Technical College is excited to announce final approval by the Utah State Legislature to begin construction on its first purpose-built 75,000-ft2 Health Sciences building.
“We owe a great deal of gratitude to our local legislators both current and past who have made this request a reality, including Logan City who supported us with infrastructure improvements,” says K. Chad Campbell, President of Bridgerland Technical College. “We also appreciate Governor Cox’s support in recommending this building as his one and only building priority in the 2021 General Session.”
“Since 2010, program admissions have been limited due to a lack of physical space. We are ecstatic this building will expand enrollment opportunities for students,” stated Executive Vice President Wendy Carter. “Our students are able to graduate virtually debt free in less than 12 months and ultimately will have a direct and immediate impact on Utah’s essential healthcare workforce.”
Technical education utilizes a hands-on, competency-based model where students prepare until they confidently demonstrate content mastery. This educational model has historically provided a near 100 percent pass rate on professional licensing exams.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has made the importance of health care workers in our community paramount,” says Lisa Moon, Associate VP for Health Sciences and Public Services. “This new Bridgerland Technical College Health Sciences Building is essential for the College to successfully train the healthcare workforce needed both now and in the future.”
Matt King – Platinum Performer for Building Technology
Matt King is from Millville, Utah, and was chosen as the Platinum Performer for our Building Technology program.
A few fun facts about Matt are that his favorite food is fettuccine alfredo and he is a big-time fisherman, hunter, and outdoorsman. Something unique about him that people might not know is that he breeds dogs.
Matt chose to attend Bridgerland Technical College because it was a local option that would allow him to learn a trade. Matt’s dream job is to own his own business building custom homes.
His favorite part about his time in the program was the relationships he made. He told us, “My favorite thing about the program was definitely the relationships I’ve built with the other students and the instructors. It was awesome to build a house from start to finish and the friendships that I’ve gained from Bridgerland Technical College are going to be friends that I’m going to have for a long time.”
Some advice he wanted to leave with future students was, “Listen to your instructors, they are there to help you. It may seem tough sometimes but they are preparing you for the real world. Richie does a great job.”
Now that Matt has graduated Building Technology, he is studying to take his general contractor’s exam so he can become a general contractor and start his own company. We are so happy to see Matt making his dreams come true and we are wishing him the best as he moves forward!
Program Remodel for Machining Technology
BTECH’s Machining Technology program recently received two grants through the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Gene Haas Foundation! The NSF grant allowed the program to purchase two, 5-axis machines and a 5-axis coordinate measuring machine. The Gene Haas grant funded an upgrade to the machine shop. With this money they were able to repaint the shop, put in a new floor, remodel the classroom, install new lights, upgrade the heating and air conditioning vents, purchase new computers, and more!
Of course, big projects like these are never without setbacks. There were some issues with the new floor being too slippery that needed to be addressed. Wes Chambers, the department head, stated, “While we are still not one hundred percent pieced together, we can function. Our primary focus now is to make sure that we are taking care of students’ needs so they can continue to progress.”
This update has created a lot of excitement from students, staff, and industry members who can’t wait to see the growth this brings to our program and the community!
Braden Hulce – Platinum Performer for Automotive Service
Congratulations to Braden Hulce on being the Platinum Performer for Automotive Service!
Braden has always been curious. From the time he was little, Braden would tear things apart and reassemble them so he could learn how they function. Braden’s curiosity shaped his dream of being a master technician and owning a shop one day.
Automotive Service instructors praised Braden for always being willing to assist other students, promptly turning assignments in, and consistently having great attendance.
We have no doubt that Braden is going to make a wonderful addition to his chosen career field, and we look forward to seeing where he goes in the future!
Alex Braeger Phlebotomy Platinum Performer
Interviewing Alex Braeger was a pleasure. His passion for the Phlebotomy program was evident as he shared his experiences, so it wasn’t hard to see why he was chosen as this year’s Platinum Performer.
When asked why he decided to come to Bridgerland Technical College, Alex said, “This school lets you get certificates and training without having to enroll in a four-year program. . . I was able to get training as a phlebotomist that got me employed and allowed me to be paid more than I would have if I didn’t have that certificate.”
Alex said he loved working with his instructors because they were easy to communicate with and they were very qualified in real-world training. His advice to future students is to use BTECH as the first stepping stone in helping them get to where they want to go.
We want to congratulate Alex! We look forward to seeing how far he goes in his future career.