GTCC has big plans in High Point
Sep. 14—HIGH POINT — Guilford Technical Community College's 10-year plan includes major additions at the downtown High Point campus as the college expands instruction targeting business, creative arts and the skilled trades.
College officials are seeking $148 million from Guilford County over the full extent of the $182 million plan covering all of GTCC's campuses, which is focused on jobs in local, growing companies as well as new ones that have been announced in recent years, GTCC President Tony Clarke said.
The High Point campus's share of that totals $37.5 million, and as with plans in eastern Greensboro, part of the focus is bringing job training closer to disadvantaged communities in need of it, Clarke said.
"We can't bring the jobs, but we can at least bring job training," he said.
The first project in High Point would be a $10 million renovation of three existing buildings to create a Skilled Trades Center for programs related to such things as industrial and construction trades, apartment maintenance and HVAC. Plans currently call for planning to begin in the 2025-26 fiscal year and construction the following year, according to a presentation GTCC gave to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners.
There currently are a total of 800 students enrolled at the High Point campus, and the completion of the Skilled Trades Center would create room for another 340, GTCC says.
The biggest change on the campus would be construction of a new, three-story, 55,000-square-foot building that would house some instructional space as well as offices and community and student services. That's currently projected to be completed in the 2029-30 fiscal year.
The presentation to the county commissioners noted that improvements planned for the High Point campus include closing the part of Hamilton Street near GTCC's buildings to create a true campus feel, but Clarke said he has not approached High Point city officials about whether that could be done.
"I may have gotten out ahead of my skis. I was asked about my vision for the campus," he said. "I know there are concerns about that."
The first projects in the 10-year plan are underway on the main campus in Jamestown and in Greensboro and are related to advanced manufacturing programs.
Other projects that are planned include creating 100,000 square feet of training space on the Cameron campus in Colfax for the aviation program, which GTCC says would increase capacity by 40% for various technology, management, electronics and manufacturing classes. GTCC is seeking $10 million for phase one of this expansion.
The aviation program has outgrown its landlocked space at Piedmont Triad International Airport, Clarke said.
"It's nice to be close to the airport, but we don't really need to be at the airport," he said.
GTCC officials argue that the full 10-year plan, if funded by the county, would result in $428 million in increased earnings for GTCC graduates and would return $2.10 to taxpayers for every $1 that Guilford County provides.
