WDT breaks ground May 6 on expansion

Western Dakota Tech will break ground Friday, May 6, 2011, on a 60,000-square-foot, $12.5 million expansion that will help WDT better meet the needs of students and the community. The event is scheduled for 1 p.m. at WDT, 800 Mickelson Dr., in Rapid City. WDT invites the community to attend.

The expansion project includes:

  • New Campus Main Entrance: This new entrance will become a focal point for campus and will allow better campus access for the handicapped and others who need special assistance.
  • One-Stop Student Services Center: This area, located just inside the new main entrance, will serve as a hub for most services needed by the community and by new and current students.
  • WDT-Community Library: This state-of-the-art library will serve WDT students and the community. The library partnership between WDT, Rapid City Area Schools, Pennington County, and the City of Rapid City is one-of-a-kind that will result in a library that will meet the needs of a wide variety of users.
  • New Lab Space: Students in Welding Manufacturing, Collision Repair, and Transportation Technology will enjoy new lab space with updated equipment that matches what students will use in industry. These labs will help WDT better prepare our community’s workforce.
  • Lecture Hall: The 150-seat lecture hall will serve WDT’s academic needs and will be available for community events, making WDT an even more vital community asset.
  • New Program Space: Several WDT programs currently using space in the outdated Rushmore Building will move into spaces better suited to student learning needs.

This expansion will prepare WDT for an exciting future full of opportunity. Once complete, the project will fuel future growth so WDT can play a bigger role in making Rapid City and western South Dakota even better places to live and work.

Construction begins soon. The expansion is scheduled to be ready for use by the beginning of the Fall 2012 semester.

WDT is the only technical institute that serves the western South Dakota region. WDT offers more than 20 programs in a variety of fields, including Business and Computers, Construction Trades, Health Services, Legal and Public Services, Manufacturing and Mechanical Trades, and Science and Technology. More than 94 percent of WDT’s most recent graduates are either working or continuing their education, and more than 82 percent of those placed in careers are working in South Dakota. 

 WDT faculty, staff, and administration focus their efforts on helping students gain the skills and experiences they need to succeed. Through hands-on learning, internships, and industry partnerships, WDT students graduate ready to make a real and immediate contribution to their employers and to their communities.

For information about WDT, call (800) 544-8765 or (605) 718-2565 or send an email to admissions@wdt.edu. Visit WDT on the web at www.wdt.edu.