National Park College (NPC) broke ground last week on a new 16,000-square-foot welding facility that will expand opportunities for students pursuing technical education and workforce training.
The groundbreaking was held at the future home of the welding facility on the NPC campus.
The event drew college leadership, trustees, city officials, industry partners, faculty and students, and featured remarks from NPC President Dr. Wade Derden, Board of Trustees Chair Jim Hale, Hot Springs Mayor Pat McCabe, William Clark of Clark Contractors and Josh Krauss of FiberPro.
NPC President Dr. Wade Derden said the project demonstrates the college’s mission to serve both students and the regional workforce.
“This 16,000-square-foot space will be more than just bricks and steel; it will be a hub of opportunity,” Derden said. “Once completed, it will elevate our welding training programs for both credit and non-credit students, and it will allow us to expand into metalwork training — another critical skill needed in our region and across Arkansas.”
The two-story facility will include 8,000 square feet of welding lab space and material storage, plus an additional 2,500 square feet of covered outdoor welding space. Plans call for three classrooms, administrative offices with a multi-use conference room and a student mezzanine overlooking the welding lab. The facility will house 30 welding booths, a plasma cutter and other modern equipment designed to support both credit and non-credit training.
The groundbreaking marked a milestone in NPC’s continued investment in high-demand workforce programs that align with industry needs in Hot Springs, Garland County and across Arkansas.