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Who We Are

The Western Arkansas Technical Center (WATC) is an area secondary center located on the UA Fort Smith campus. The Center was formed in 1998 through a collaborative effort by UA Fort Smith, the Western Arkansas Education Service Cooperative, and the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education.

WATC provides area high school juniors and seniors with the unique opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. The center's curriculum serves as an extension of the high school curriculum offerings by providing students with hands-on training in technical fields.

Who We Serve

WATC serves area high schools in a six county area of western Arkansas. The counties are Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Scott, and Sebastian. Services are provided at no cost to the students. Books, tuition, and fees are provided through the center and funded by a training fee paid by the local school districts and by funds provided through the Department of Workforce Education.

What We Do

WATC has three primary goals which define our purpose:

1. To aid students in making an informed career choice. Students select a technical program based on their interests and aptitudes. Their experiences in the program help them to make career choices.
2. To prepare students to enter the workforce upon high school graduation. The programs provided by UA Fort Smith to WATC students lead to a professional certification, a certificate of proficiency, or a technical certificate from UA Fort Smith which equal marketable job skills.
3. To encourage students to continue their education after high school. UA Fort Smith classes successfully completed by students enrolled through the WATC program are credited at both the high school and college level. Students can finish their technical program with as many as 40 hours toward a degree or advanced certification program.