Northwest College has a new space for some of its technical programs after agreeing to a Memorandum of Understanding on a five-year agreement with the Wyoming National Guard for use of the armory.

It will serve as the new home for the Northwest College Center for Training and Development, which focuses on economic and workforce programming.

“For years, Northwest College has had a critical need for a larger academic space to serve existing and future career and technical program needs,” said Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Dave Erickson in a release. “With the addition of this facility, we will be able to better support existing programs, such as our CDL, electrical, and plumbing/HVAC certifications, with space designed for year-round instruction and unique programmatic needs.”

NWC President Lisa Watson said the CDL program, which has already been using some of the armory parking lot for equipment, will be able to move in within roughly a month.

“We’ll have a computer lab, classroom, long haul, big haul [simulators], it’ll be nice to have year-round programming space. Other simulators that are sitting in storage, we’ll have space to pull those out.”

Other programs will move in once the National Guard has finished maintenance work.

As part of the five-year agreement, Northwest College and the Wyoming Military Department are working together to share office space and classrooms. Watson said while the college will use all of the armory building, National Guard personnel will be able to use office space in other college buildings.

“The opportunity to expand workforce programming is very exciting as we move forward with our strategic plan,” Watson said. “The Wyoming National Guard has a proud history of engagement in the Big Horn Basin. As both our needs change, working together to support each other for the benefit of our community and operations of our buildings is a great way to streamline resources.”

Discussions on a potential arrangement for the East Seventh Street building have been going on for some time. Watson initially approached the National Guard last fall about the building.

“I had learned that the building was idle, I thought it would make sense if it could work … we’ve been in search of a building to provide workforce programming for a long time.

“It helps our workforce programs tremendously.”

The building will remain an asset of the Wyoming Military Department, according to the release, with routine maintenance and utilities paid for by NWC and major maintenance retained by the WMD in cooperation with NWC. The Powell Armory was previously home to the 960th Brigade Support Battalion. The 13,729-square-foot facility was constructed in 1983.

The armory building has also been used over the last few years to host local Civil Air Patrol meetings, and was a winter pickleball arena until last winter.

“Uniting education and service, our partnership with Northwest College exemplifies the Wyoming National Guard’s dedication to community progress. Together, we forge a path toward excellence,” said Maj. Gen. Greg Porter, Wyoming National Guard adjutant general.