Blackhawk Technical College
Blackhawk Technical College (commonly Blackhawk Tech) is a technical college in Rock County, Wisconsin and a component of the Wisconsin Technical College System. The main campus lies between the cities of Beloit and Janesville; there are also several other satellite locations.
Blackhawk Technical College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). The two primary counties in Wisconsin served by Blackhawk Technical College are Rock and Green Counties.
Overview
The Blackhawk Technical College central campus is located midway between the cities of Beloit and Janesville on approximately 80 acres (32 ha) of partially wooded rolling prairie. BTC offers approximately 50 programs leading toward an associate degree, technical diploma, certificate, or apprenticeship. While the majority of classes are held at the central campus, classes are also offered at the Center For Transportation Studies located north of Janesville, the Beloit, Wisconsin Center and at the Monroe, Wisconsin campus. In addition, Blackhawk Technical College has classrooms at the Rock County Job Center.
The college serves approximately 14,000 students annually–about 6,000 credit and 8,000 non-credit students.
History
In 1911, six years before the use of federal funds for the promotion of vocational, technical and adult education throughout the nation, Wisconsin set up a Board of Vocational and Adult Education. As a result of this law, the cities of Beloit and Janesville established vocational schools in their communities. These two schools have developed to form the nucleus of the present technical college system district which is now Blackhawk Technical College.
In 1965, the Wisconsin Legislature enacted a law designed to broaden the vocational, technical and adult education opportunities for youth and adults through the organization of the entire state into districts. The Beloit and Janesville schools, along with the major portions of Rock and Green Counties, were organized into a single system July 1, 1968, which was named Blackhawk Technical Institute. In August, 1987, along with the other 15 state technical institutes in the state, Blackhawk Technical Institute was renamed Blackhawk Technical College.