BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) has plans to roll out a Bicycle Assembly and Repair Technician Program after being awarded a $1,030,958 grant from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation.
NWACC President Dr. Evelyn E. Jorgenson said, “We are grateful to the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation for their generous investment in NWACC’s multi-stage project to first launch a Bicycle Assembly and Repair Technician program and subsequently create and share an epicenter for cycling, technician training, and whole health on NWACC’s campus. This project will serve the NWA region and increase access to and quality of the cycling industry, profession and lifestyle.”
Roll-out is planned to begin this fall, once the program is officially approved by the Arkansas Division of Higher Education.
“This program has the potential to become a training hub for cycling and technician workforce development not just regionally but nationally in a growing industry,” said Steuart Walton, chairman of the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. “As more people turn to cycling as a sport, for recreation or exercise, the development of this curriculum is timely and important to the economic advancement of our region.”
A student participating in the Bicycle Assembly and Repair Technician program will earn a Technical Certificate in Bicycle Assembly and Repair.
The certificate is built into the college’s Associate of Applied Science in General Technology, allowing a student to transfer their associate degree to the University of Arkansas Fort Smith’s to pursue an online Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership.
The second phase of the roll-out will include renovating the college’s physical plant building into the NWACC Cycling and Technician Education Center (C-TEC) to house the bicycle technician program and offer a learning and lab space for future BIEA-accredited programs and for community members.
NWACC is uniquely positioned to facilitate this initiative because of its location in Bentonville and at the top of the Arkansas and Missouri trailhead.
Learn more about NWACC’s new Bicycle Assembly and Repair Technician program at www.nwacc.edu/bicycletech.