NIC technical building under construction in Rathdrum

Seven of NIC’s technical programs will be moved off campus to a new facility in Rathdrum.

Construction of the new facility, located on Lancaster road near KTEC, is scheduled to be completed in time for the fall semester of 2016.

Affected programs include automotive maintenance and technology, welding, industrial mechanics, machining, outdoor recreational vehicle technology, diesel technology and computer-aided design. These programs are currently in facilities on NIC’s campus, as well as two remote locations off campus.

Enrollment for these programs often results in many students being waitlisted due to limited space in the existing facilities. The new technical facility in Rathdrum will allow for twice the current enrollment capacity.

These programs also require a small number of core classes, usually one or two, that are only offered on NIC’s campus. Once the new facility is open, students in these programs will have to commute between campuses in order to complete all of the program requirements.

Relocating these programs off campus has raised some concerns among the staff.

The automotive programs, for example, rely heavily on support from the students and local community. Students can currently bring their vehicles in to the campus shop, which provides a less expensive alternative to other shops, as well as providing real world experience for the students in the automotive programs.

In spite of these concerns, the faculty is confident that this is the right decision to make. “We would be successful that’s for sure, there’s no doubt about that,” automotive technology instructor Mark Magill said.

Students on the new campus will also have access to cross-trained staff that will be able to assist them in a variety of areas such as enrollment, financial aid, and general information.