Lockesburg, Ark., Industrial Maintenance Institute plans open house

The Lockesburg, Ark., Industrial Maintenance Institute will host an open house, offering tours, and the opportunity to visit the site of an area-wide collaborative educational effort.

The open house will be at 11 a.m. Oct. 19 among UA Cossatot, area K-12 institutions, local industries and the Arkansas Career and Technical Education Division. The collaboration contributes to Southwest Arkansas economic development, offering high school and college students a program that leads to superior skills in multi-craft industrial maintenance and the opportunity for immediate employment with area industries at 128 E. Main, Lockesburg.

Speakers for the event include: Arkansas Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin; UA Cossatot Chancellor Dr. Steve Cole; UA System President Dr. Donald Bobbitt; Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission Mike Preston; Deputy Director of Arkansas Office of Skills.

Development Cody Waits; Tyson Technical Education Liaison Rodney Ellis; Tyson Broken Bow/ Grannis Complex Manager Ronnie Eddy; Horatio School Supt. Lee Smith; and Division Chair of UA Cossatot’s Skilled Trades Department Steve McJunkins.

The LIMI is located in the newly restored Lockesburg High School building, originally constructed in 1953. Currently, more than 40 students are enrolled.

The program would not have been possible without the collaborative funding efforts of UA Cossatot, area K-12 school districts, Arkansas Career, and Technical Education, Tyson, Ash Grove Cement, DOMTAR, SWEPCO, Weyerhauser, and the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council.