It's been 10 years since the city of Hays began leasing the former Army Reserve building, 101 Main Street, at a minimal cost to NCK Technical College.
The vocational school uses the building as its south Hays campus - called Big Creek Technical Training Center - for student programs in carpentry, electrical technology, and plumbing, heating and air conditioning (PHAC). In exchange, NCK Tech maintains the building and completes applicable projects for the city as requested.
With more than 17 programs of study, NCK Tech graduates about 300 students each year from the satellite Hays campuses and its main campus in Beloit, according to Eric Burks, NCK Tech president. He delivered his annual report to Hays city commissioners Thursday night accompanied by several lead instructors in the audience.
More than 93% of NCK Tech grads are hired almost immediately, sometimes even before they graduate.
"Some of our students couldn't attend their own graduations because they couldn't get off work," Burks noted.
"We've actually had the #1 placement in the nation for two years, in 2017 and 2018," he told the commission.
"And more than 90% of our graduates stay in Kansas - many of them returning to their home towns - which is something people definitely like to hear as we invest local dollars."
The earned degrees and certifications are also readily portable to any other state or bigger city, Burks was quick to add.
The carpentry program has grown large enough it has been relocated to the main Hays campus at 2205 Wheatland Ave.
Those students, with the help of electricity and PHAC students, are finishing up their annual major project - building a house. The 1,920 sq. ft. single family home will be sold at auction Thu., May 14, and then moved off campus by the new homeowners.
This will be the eighth house built by the NCK Tech students.
Last year's home sold for $160,000. More than $123,548 of the building materials were purchased from Hays area businesses.
The next home built by the students may be done "on location" and nearby.
NCK Tech is in discussions with Doug Williams and Grow Hays about building affordable housing on site in the Tallgrass Addition adjacent to the school at 22nd and Wheatland.
"We're looking to be involved as one of the contractors," Burks said. "Our board of trustees hasn't committed to it yet but we definitely have an interest in finding if that makes sense. I think we can find a way in which everybody wins."
The school is already committed to installing the wiring and plumbing for the new Hays Fire Department Regional Fire Training Facility which is being designed and built by Fort Hays State University construction students south of Old Highway 40.
Projects done for the city in 2019 included replacing electrical switches in the restrooms of Hays parks, troubleshooting a malfunction in the Larks Park scoreboard, and fixing a mini-split air conditioner in a water well house.
Students and their instructors, who are licensed under Hays city codes, also remodeled classrooms in their building, ran a gas line inside the shop for PHAC practice on heating systems, and reconfigured and overhauled the inside and back shops.
Employees of several area trades businesses serve on the NCK Tech advisory committees, ensuring the training meets the regions's needs.
A study conducted in October 2019 by EMSI, a labor market analytics firm focused on the student-to-employment journey, showed NCK Tech has an annual economic impact of $30.7 million in its 18-county service area.
There is no direct tax burden to any county.
"We don't have a local mill levy. We're completely supported through student tuition and state reimbursement for the credit hours we generate," Burks explained.
Mayor Shaun Musil said he appreciates what NCK Tech is doing in helping keep kids in Kansas.
"We just had a meeting with Fort Hays State saying how important it is for kids to go back to their communities after their schooling," Musil said.
"And that's important for Hays, too. What you're doing is exactly what we need."
Ron Mellick also served on the city commission in 2009. "We made the right decision back then in turning that campus over to you guys," he told Burks.
"We had no idea you'd take it and run with it like you did," Mellick said. "This is fantastic."
North Central Kansas Technical College is accredited by the Kansas Board of Regents and the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and School.