MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho — If you live or work in Mountain Home, you have probably driven by the new 295 town square building. It's the new home for the Mountain Home Adult Training Academy. It is a first for Mountain Home.
On Wednesday, city leaders and Gov. Brad Little held the ceremonial ribbon cutting, representing a new beginning.
“This is transformational,” Little said.
The Mountain Home Adult Training Academy will bring secondary education and apprenticeship opportunities for those in the city.
“What a great day to be in Idaho, but an even better day to be in Mountain Home,” Mountain Home Mayor Rich Sykes said. “This development will provide needed resources and opportunities for our community.”
The academy will be driven by businesses that say they need more welders, plumbers, and technicians, according to Gov. Little.
President and owner of the academy, David Porter, told KTVB the academy stemmed from the idea of having instructors come from Shelley and teach in Mountain Home.
“After a few trips, we decided, why not build the school here,” Porter said.
Three years later, it came together, and it comes at a time when employers are experiencing a real need.
“Right now, the Department of Energy says they are 8,700 people short in the next five years,” Porter said. “In the Mountain Home area, we were going around the different construction companies and they all are hurting for folks, because it's just, it just seems now that folks aren't looking for jobs anymore and one of the things we've told them, why don't we do this, let's go find a good young man or young lady, that we think got good characteristics and lets train them.”
The academy will offer nine trade programs, including a technology program about radiation safety.
“We got carpenter, electrician, plumber, welder, iron worker, a laborer, we have the machinist,” Porter said.
The first and only trade school in the city helping the community trade its way to a better future. The official start of classes is on Sept. 11.
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