Bellingham Technical College | 2023-25 Budget Requests
- Total headcount: 3,784
- Total full-time equivalent (FTE): 1,723
- Full-time: 46%
- Part-time: 54%
- Students of color: 33%
If the system’s operating budget request of $353 million is fully funded, Bellingham Technical College will receive approximately $2.9 million in additional funding.
If the system’s request is fully funded, Bellingham Technical College will receive approximately $4,509,000 for operation, maintenance, infrastructure, repairs and minor improvements of its existing facilities, $17,359,000 for design and construction of the Engineering Technology Center - Bldg J replacement, and $9,974,000 for design and construction of the Bldg A renovation and Bldg Y replacement.
40, 42
Bellingham Technical College (BTC) has trained students for in-demand, high-paying
careers for more than 65 years. We provide hands-on, rigorous instruction in programs
such as advanced manufacturing, engineering, nursing, and accounting. For example,
BTC’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences program offers students the unique opportunity
to run two fully operational fish hatcheries. In fact, BTC administrators and Fisheries
faculty were invited by the Association of Community College Trustees to present about
the program’s work with tribal partners and state agencies to raise and release Chinook
salmon at its hatchery in order to provide a larger food supply for the region’s endangered
Southern Resident Killer Whale population.
Each year, more than 3,800 students of all ages and backgrounds turn to BTC for education
and training. Whether students are 16 or 60, just out of high school or working adults,
our college prepares them to forge their own path toward a better future. As a technical
college that serves a large number of lower-income students and students who are the
first in their families to attend college, BTC is key to creating social and economic
mobility for people throughout our region.
Legislative Priority: Expand Opportunity for Students and Employers
Fully funding our budget requests will have real returns for students like Julián Adame Núñez and for the communities and employers in our area. Students will learn from competitively-paid experts who choose to work at Bellingham Technical College rather than pursue higher paying positions with private employers or K-12 schools. Our students will train for careers in robust workforce programs, with modern equipment and learning spaces that mirror their future work environments. We will be able to expand technology to bring a college education to more people in more ways, which is especially important for working adults. And, all our students will benefit from an inclusive environment where they are valued, supported and equipped to reach their goals.
