ROCK SPRINGS — To keep local graduates from leaving the area, school district leaders are taking steps to expand vocational and technical training opportunities for students.
Speaking at a Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce Monthly Connection Luncheon on Thursday, Sept. 10, Joe Libby, superintendent for Sweetwater County School District No. 1 outlined plans for a newly acquired 50,000-square-foot facility situated on 18 acres north of Rock Springs.
Purchased from local property owner Rick Greene, the expanded space addresses severe space limitations at the landlocked high school, where safety regulations and equipment requirements previously capped welding classes at 14 to 16 students and generated waiting lists of 200 to 300 students deep.
“That’s unacceptable, and it would be unacceptable anywhere,” Libby said. “We needed to find a place where we could have some more square footage so we can get our kids into the programs that they want, so they can be successful after they walk across the stage.”
The new facility drastically increases classroom capacity across multiple disciplines:
- Welding and Wood Shop: Expanding to 2.5 times their current size.
- Metal Shop: Doubling in size.
- Robotics and CAD: Tripling in capacity.
Class sizes in these trade fields are expected to double, accommodating up to 27 to 32 students per session with support staff, according to Libby.
Despite minor setbacks due to supply chain delays for steel and drywall, construction remains on track through strong partnerships with local trades and businesses, Libby said. Local contractors, including Vaughn’s Heating and Plumbing, stepped up to help complete preliminary work, he said. Furthermore, a 4,000-square-foot anchor space within the facility is being developed into a dedicated training center for electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians.
Libby also highlighted a partnership with nearby John Deere, incorporating a three-credit program for heavy machinery and diesel mechanics directly into the high school automotive curriculum.
Along with Scott Cooper, superintendent of Sweetwater County School District No. 2, Libby noted enrollment declines are directly tied to young adults leaving the area due to a perceived lack of local job opportunities.
“Our numbers are down in enrollment because folks are leaving,” Libby said. “If we can create those jobs and businesses here and expand those, we can keep those kids here, which means we can keep our families here, which means our educational systems grow.”
The automotive and wood shop sections of the new facility are scheduled to open by the end of the first quarter in late October, with the full site expected to be operational by the end of the semester. Once fully complete, the facility is projected to serve 500 or more students daily across morning and afternoon sessions.
During the luncheon, Cooper pointed to the Wyoming Department of Education’s Accountability Peer Review. He said in comparison to all of the school districts visited over the past five years, SCSD No. 2 is “performing in the top three to five school districts in the state of Wyoming.”
Cooper also acknowledged School Resource Officers Kent Hemphill and Trevor Kirkwood for their efforts in getting to know every student and keeping them safe.
Currently, the student population is 2,076 in SCSD No. 2.
Cooper said nationally, less babies are born due to the challenging economy.