Bollman Technical Education Center, Colorado

At NC3, we’re fortunate to have both secondary and post-secondary schools within our network! These schools are truly dedicated to changing the lives of students in Career and Technical Education. NC3’s School on the Rise is a monthly achievement award granted to schools that have shown consistent growth in issued certifications since joining the NC3 network. We think it’s time to highlight those schools and give them the recognition they so rightfully deserve.

It’s with great pleasure that we announce this month’s NC3 “School on the Rise” recipient, Bollman Technical Educational Center!

Bollman Tech in Thornton, Colorado is a secondary school dedicated solely to technical trades. The high school offers specialized career and technical training that is otherwise not provided at other high schools in the surrounding area.

Since becoming an NC3 Certification Center in 2017, Bollman Tech has increased its number of issued certifications by over 50% each year! We were honored to sit down with Bollman Tech’s Automotive Instructors Scott Hunter and Ian Matje as well as Assistant Principal, Christopher Duran to learn about their school’s successful certification program.

As a secondary educational school, Bollman Tech has the unique opportunity to offer their students industry credentials at an early age. Chris Duran, Bollman Tech’s Assistant Principal, stated,

Offering NC3 certifications in secondary education allows students to dive into a technical career earlier on which, from the industry side, allows for these students to become potential employees with automatically transferrable skills the minute they step out of high school.

He continued by saying, “Earning certifications in high school also means that students can graduate and enter a stable career without the burden of having to pay back student loans.” Students across the district have the option to attend Bollman Tech’s High School Campuses or its CTE Campuses, which includes Bollman Technical Education Center.

Bollman Technical Education Center offers several NC3 transportation certifications to its high school students. Scott Hunter, Automotive Instructor, noted on the student’s perspective of industry-backed certifications. He says, 

“Students are starting to see the value of career and technical education and how it really and truly does prepare and equip them with the 20^th-century skills they need go right into the industry.”

Ian Matje, Automotive Instructor, adds to that by explaining, “If our students know that a name brand like Snap-on backs the certifications they’re earning, it has push behind it.”

Bollman Technical Education Center has big plans for the future! The school district is currently building a second facility to keep up with the high demands of their career and technical education program. This new building will provide Bollman Tech students additional pathways into technical fields.

NC3 can’t wait to see what the coming years will bring to Bollman Technical Education Center!

Stay tuned for our next School on the Rise recipient in April 2020!

Questions about NC3’s School on the Rise? Please contact Erika Staackmann, Customer Success Coordinator, 847.533.6985, Erika.Staackmann@nc3.net