Ohio Technical College has reached the 40-year mark for providing hands-on diesel and automotive training

. Over the years, the school has gone from a single, second-floor building location to an 800,000-square-foot campus in two Ohio cities.

The school was launched in 1969 as the Ohio Diesel Mechanics School, conducting six-week diesel training courses in Cleveland's warehouse district. The school was renamed Ohio Technical College in September 1997 to reflect its mission to provide technical training in the world of modern mechanics.

"Throughout all of these physical expansions we were also lengthening our course work and training time as well as developing new programs so the school was always teaching up-to-date automotive technology, from the early days of hydraulic brakes and transport refrigeration to classic car restoration and alternative fuels," said Tom King, director of enrollment management, Ohio Technical College.

Some of the school's enhancements in curriculum over the years include:

• The addition of an Automotive Technology program in 1984.
• The combination of the Diesel Technician and Automotive Programs to create a comprehensive Master Technician program.
• In 1989, a building purchase added 500,000 square feet to the complex and the school created the Motorcycle and Small Engine Training Program.
• In 1993, the college was one of 133 technical schools nationwide to participate in the Federal Governments New Direct Loan Program.
• The Associate of Technical Studies in Automotive and Diesel was approved in 1994, adding well-rounded academic credentials to help graduates advance to management positions.
• In 2000, BMW of North America partnered with OTC to provide a level II factory training program called the FAST Track Program (Factory Advanced Skilled Training). The first level I Service Technician Education Program (S.T.E.P) class was added two years later.
• The first High Performance and Racing and Alternative Fuel Technology classes began in 2003, complete with an in-ground dynamometer.

Currently, more than 1,000 students are enrolled and 190 full-time employees work at the college.