Stories @ TCAT

DICKSON, Tenn. (Feb. 8, 2017) -- The Tennessee College of Applied Technology at Dickson has broken ground on its new Health Careers Building, which is scheduled to be completed and open for classes this fall.

The 11,850-gross-square-foot building will house three classrooms, a simulation laboratory for the practical nursing program, and four dental operatories and one dental preparation lab for the dental assistant program, plus support space serving about 100 students and five faculty members in the college’s health careers programs.

The $3.1 million project is being constructed just north and east of the college’s main building, where the existing main parking lot is located. A new parking area is also being added to replace spaces being lost to the new structure.

TCAT-Dickson Director Arrita Summers said the new building will provide much-needed new space for the campus.  "The Health Careers Building will provide state-of-the-art labs to enhance the practical experiences of our students by preparing them with realistic practice. The additional space will also allow us to renovate the current nursing and dental locations in preparation of the addition of new programs we can offer to future students. Ultimately, this building will further our capacity to strengthen the workforce and economic development of Dickson and surrounding communities," Summers said.

TCAT-Dickson’s main campus is at 740 Highway 46 South and the college has three satellite locations: in Clarksville, Franklin and an Advanced Manufacturing Center in Dickson. The college, which has nearly 1,100 students enrolled over the course of a year, offers degree, diploma and certificate programs in administrative office technology, automotive technology, computer information technology, cosmetology, dental assistant, diesel powered equipment technology, digital graphic design, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration, industrial maintenance/electricity, machine tool technology, mechatronics, pharmacy technician, practical nursing, and welding/pipefitting technology.

TCAT-Dickson is one of 27 Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology in the Tennessee Board of Regents system, along with 13 community colleges and six universities. The system has nearly 200,000 students.