About The College

In 2008 Bellingham Technical College marked a very important milestone; our 50th anniversary.   On April 13th, 1958 the City Superintendent of Schools presided over the official dedication of the College. At that time, we offered programs in a number of professions—practical nursing, welding, plumbing, pipe fitting, carpentry and more. By the time of the dedication, 336 students were attending day and night classes. Today, that number is ten times larger and growing.

The idea of building a standalone vocational school in Bellingham eventually took root amidst the economic prosperity of the post-war years. In 1947, officials proposed that the school be built on Ellis Street behind Bellingham High School. Plans were actually drawn but never brought to fruition. By 1953, it was clear that the number of students enrolled in vocational programs was not sufficient to meet workforce needs.

For two years, the Board of Directors of the Bellingham School District considered and discarded many school sites. Finally, in 1955, the Board selected BTC’s current site and then spent a year working with architects and engineers on construction of the first building (read about the history of the site as published in the Bellingham Herald in 1955).  On September 4th, 1957, what was then known as Bellingham Technical School opened its doors.

Much has changed since those early years but BTC’s commitment to academic excellence and first-rate technical training has remained constant. Our instructors not only educate but inspire, coach and foster self-confidence. Students leave this institution with the skills they need to excel in the workplace and sometimes return to the College in an advisory or teaching capacity.