On April 3, 1990, Springfield residents and 13 surrounding public school districts voted to establish a community technical college, providing an open admission, two-year college with a focus on technical education.
With inaugural enrollment of 1,198 students, OTC opened its doors in 1991 in space at Cox Medical Center North and at 815 N. Sherman Ave., in space that formerly housed the Graff Area Vocational Technical Center.
From the beginning, OTC worked to meet the training and education for the local work force, working with community and business leaders to expand program offerings.
The school has grown steadily through the years, in terms of facilities, programs and enrollment.
OTC opened its Information Commons West on its Springfield campus in 2002 and renovations on the Graff Building were finished in 2003. The school’s Center for Workforce Development, also in Springfield, offers customized job training.
In addition to the main campus, OTC opened its Richwood Valley campus in 2007. Satellite locations include Branson, Waynesville and Lebanon, where a $2.6 million gift – announced earlier this year – will enable the establishment of a full campus.
OTC’s programs range from automotive to culinary/hospitality to diesel technology to allied health, and from all indications, the school plans to continue evolving to meet local education needs.
In May, Springfield City Council gave its unanimous approval to OTC’s 10-year master plan, which targets 20 acres to the north and west of the Springfield campus to accommodate a consistently growing number of students. School officials said at the time that the main campus, designed to serve 6,000 students, accommodates about 9,000.
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