The Armory at BRTC Getting Closer to Being Student Ready

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Photo taken at The Armory at BRTC dedication:

(L to R): Piggott High School students Kade Johnson, Landon Buchanan, Leslie Reeves, Wes Kilbreath, Governor Asa Hutchinson, Cashe Toombs, Michael Haywood, Charlie Latta, Jessie Henson, Riley Jo Gossett, Laura Jackson, Bre Harmon, Dillon Gibson

Black River Technical College (BRTC) is set to open a new Career and Technical Center location in Piggott. The Armory at BRTC is set to hold its first classes in August at the beginning of the Fall 2023 semester.

The Armory will house a career and technical center, the only one in Clay County, offering certification opportunities to area high school students who want to fast track to a high-wage, high-demand job straight out of school. However, if a day time class enrollment isn’t full, there may be seats available for adults in the community who want to change their career or earn certifications. The facility will be used for workforce training, both introductory and advanced. Classes in the evenings and during weekends will be available to the public as well as students.

Programs offered will be welding, industrial maintenance/automation, industrial electricity, and robotics automation: distribution and logistics.

Renovation on site is going well and is expected to be completed by the end of April making it possible for equipment installation to begin in May. Equipment set to be installed is welders, welding booths, weld smoke collection systems, and grinders for the welding program; Hytrol conveyor systems, robots; and an integrated controls lab with PLC’s and scan tunnels for Industrial Maintenance/Automation; electrical trainers for the Industrial Electricity program.

The Armory at BRTC would not be possible without the donations and leg work of our community leaders. The Arkansas Department of Education provided a $350,000 grant to construct a welding lab classroom as well as equipment. The Arkansas Office of Skills Development has invested $2.383 million thus far for renovations of the armory, welding smoke exhaust systems, engineering, installation, a forklift, electrical trainers, instructional supplies, and robotic/conveyor equipment. Additional grant funding has equaled $50,700. The City of Piggott donated labor and materials to install a three-phase transformer.

BRTC has partnered with Fidus Global, Greenbrier, and Hytrol to provide the highest quality training for students and individuals in electricity, robotics, industrial automation, controls, and welding. Fidus Global utilized its business partnerships to help BRTC obtain top of the line, current robotics and automation equipment at a discounted rate. Hytrol has provided insight and resources developing and implementing a sophisticated conveyor system, so students/trainees can reap the benefits of cutting-edge training. Greenbrier has committed to providing human resources in the form of welding teachers and industry knowledge to help BRTC curriculum stay on top.

“Commitment to community is one of Hytrol’s core values. We understand the impact of providing students access to innovative training opportunities and exposure to cutting edge technology. We are working closely with BRTC and other industry partners to provide top of the line equipment, industry insight and a sophisticated conveyor system. Students will experience world class training, preparing them for rewarding and fulfilling career options. We are excited to be part of this project,” said Christy Valentine, Manager of Academic Partnerships of the Hytrol Conveyor Company.

“Fidus Global played an integral role in finding and integrating a diverse set of state-of-the-art hardware, including programmable logic controllers (PLCs), variable frequency drives (VFDs), human-machine interfaces (HMIs), camera tunnels, scales and label applicators into the center training curriculum. “We are thrilled to partner with Black River Technical College to create this one-of-a-kind training center,” said Aarron Hale, CEO of Fidus Global. “Our goal is to equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the rapidly evolving field of industrial automation. By incorporating the latest technologies and equipment, we can ensure that our graduates are well-prepared to tackle the challenges of the industry.”