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Overview

CPTC has an interesting and rich history.

The college was created by the Clover Park School District in 1942 as a vocational school to train 3,500 civilians as auto mechanics for the nearby McChord Field and Fort Lewis Army Post, and shipfitters, welders and blueprint readers for Tacoma shipyards.

After the war training was expanded to include aircraft mechanics, and Civil Aeronautics Administration certification. In 1954 the vocational school moved to its current location, and since has added over 50 training programs in a wide range of specialties.

Originally named "Clover Park Vocational Technical Institute," in 1991 the school became Clover Park Technical College when the Washington state legislature passed the workforce training bill, converting the state's five two-year vocational schools into technical colleges, and joining them with the state's 29 community colleges.

The school is the home of I-91 FM-KVTI, a 50,000 watt, student operated radio station and "CollegeVision" (Comcast ch28 and Click! ch89) which is an educational cable channel available in Pierce County.

The CPTC campus was the site of Tacoma Speedway prior to World War II. (via Wikipedia)

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Brief History of CPTC

In December 1941, War Production Training was started at Clover Park
In 1951, the Clover Park School District that was occupying most of the seven concrete block buildings (on the current site of CPTC) moved to other locations in Lakewood. The vision for CPVTI was coming together.
In 1954, the voc-tech moved into the first warehouse to be used exclusively for vocational training.
In 1957, the auto shop, machine shop, and electronics programs moved into other vacant warehouses.
In 1977, the new Automotive Service and Sales Center opened.
The 80s was the decade of the building boom; in the 90s we left the Clover Park School District and went out on our own to become Clover Park Technical College; and today we persevered through an unprecedented economic downturn.
In 2000, CPTC finished and occupied a campus in South Hill, just south of Puyallup. Our aviation and aeronautical programs are now housed at this campus and make use of the runway at Thun Field.

Explore more of the history of the CPTC.

Today

Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Enrollment: 6,688 students; 4,004 FTES (full-time equivalent)
Student body: female: 64%, male 36%
Students of color: 51%
Median age: 28
Family and finances
- Students receiving need based financial aid (2016-17): 44%
- Students who work: 56%
- Students with children: 30%
Employment rate (2016-2017): 77%
Student-to-faculty ratio: 21:1
Average class size: 13

Expand Your Knowledge

CPTC 'By the Numbers' Fact Sheet