Jim Rollins named president of Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale
by June 3, 2020 3:17 pm 1,530 views
Jim Rollins, the longtime superintendent of Springdale Public Schools, will become the next president of Northwest Technical Institute (NWTI) in Springdale.
Rollins recently resigned from his role with Springdale Public Schools to take the position at NWTI. He will start July 1. Rollins just completed his 41st year as a school administrator in Springdale, 39 years as superintendent.
“This is an exciting day for workforce development and education in Northwest Arkansas,” said Derek Gibson, vice president of the NWTI board. “The board is extremely confident in Dr. Rollins’ ability to elevate our contribution to industry by developing world-class technical training programs and strong industry partnerships.”
In November, NWTI President Blake Robertson announced he would retire from the technical school effective June 2020 after 34 years in public service. Robertson, 70, said his last day will be June 12.
He previously said he plans to dedicate more time to Kiwanis Club of Springdale and work with the technical school’s accreditation organization, Council on Occupational Education, to help schools maintain their accreditation.
Robertson has served as NWTI president since June 2014. He previously was director of adult education at College of the Ouachitas in Malvern.
NWTI opened in 1975 and is a post-secondary school that operates under the governance of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education and is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education. It offers training through nine diploma programs, including ammonia refrigeration maintenance technology, automotive service technology, electronics technology, information systems, medium and heavy truck technology diesel, industrial maintenance technology, practical nursing, surgical technology and welding technology. The school also provides adult basic education classes and GED preparation courses.