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WTI History |
| A Message from Rod Moore It's been said, if you're not moving forward, you're standing still. Today as we honor our history and celebrate 50 years of training, it's clear that we are moving forward in many ways. If you're a recent student, you've watched this progress from the inside. We added a new Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning curriculum that's enjoying full enrollment and commendable student successes. We opened schools in Topeka, Kan, and Joplin, Mo. As of Jan. 1, we're conducting Wichita classes from a spacious new 21,000 sq. ft. school which was designed to accommodate the needs of our programs. our Web site, designed to present our total course offering to potential students, can be found at a new address: www.wti.edu. Ultimately, the success of any school depends on its students. We are fortunate to have many individuals who are dedicated to their to their coursework and committed to being productive employees. In exchange, we work hard to provide top-notch instructors, the latest technology and well-designed curriculums that are in tune with the market's needs. |
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A comment we continually hear from students is about our hands-on training. Our students are taught to learn by doing, and makes them more marketable than textbook-focused students. More importantly, with our high rate of post-graduation job placements, many leave WTI with a job. Graduates with jobs are the best testimonial to our success. In addition to thanking our students, I would like to express my appreciation to our advisory board. This group of professionals offers valuable insight on technology trends, training and the kind of employees area companies are looking to hire. Our advisory board includes many past graduates of WTI now putting their skills to use in the workplace. |
| The History of Wichita Technical Institute Wichita Technical Institute was founded in Wichita in 1954 by Robert C. Purvis, at that time also president of Wichita Business College. Purvis founded WTI to capitalize on the growing demand for electronics technicians created by the inception of television. His vision also included the creation of opportunities for veterans returning from the Korean War who received tuition assistance from the G.I. bill. Purvis believed strongly in learning by doing. The course of study he designed continues to distinguish WTI today, incorporating intensive laboratory work with classroom theory. In 1969, Paul D. Moore, a graduate from the school’s first class in Radio and Television Theory and Servicing, became president of WTI. Moore had been teaching electronics at WTI since his graduation, and had worked for Robert Purvis. At the time of its purchase, Wichita Technical Institute had 140 students and was known as the largest technical training institution in Kansas. From his time as a student to his retirement, Paul Moore devoted 40 years to building Wichita Technical Institute and keeping it at the forefront of technology. In 1973 he moved the school from its location on the third floor of Wichita Business College at 209 N. Broadway to a free-standing building at 942 S. West Street where it remained for 30 years. It was also during this time that the school earned its accreditation and developed cooperative relationships with companies such as Southwestern Bell and Zenith to ensure a supply of qualified technicians. To accommodate growing job sectors, WTI’s curriculum evolved to include training in avionics, broadcast electronics, industrial electronics, telecommunications, office technology, biomedical technology, and eventually computer technology and heating/air conditioning/refrigeration. It is interesting to note that WTI has weathered economic fluctuations, technological advancements, a shifting job market and a variety of external factors that have narrowed the ranks of private schools locally in recent decades. In 2001, Moore retired and leadership of WTI was assumed by two veterans of the private technical school industry, Barry Mannion and Gary Hively. Technology upgrades and the addition of a Heating/Air Conditioning/Refrigeration curriculum created an influx of students. Also driving enrollments up were a job market in flux and increased interest in post-secondary education. In 2002, WTI Wichita added a satellite facility at 2243 S. Meridian and added on to its main campus on West Street, resulting in a total expansion from 10,000 sq. ft. to 17,500 sq. ft. of classroom and laboratory space. In 2002, WTI’s expanding programs and growing student population resulted in the naming of a new director for the WTI Wichita. Rod D. Moore was a WTI graduate and a 15-year staff member who had been director of education and had also served in admissions, training and administration for the school. Moore’s extensive classroom experience and development of the school’s computer curriculum made him an ideal leader for the growing institution. He was also the son of former president Paul Moore. WTI’s continuing growth precipitated the need for additional space. In June 2003 the school broke ground on a new facility that would expand the number of classrooms and labs from eight to 14. The new building would also accommodate the Heating/Air Conditioning/Refrigeration program which had been launched months before and already had enrolled 100 students. In January 2004, WTI entered its 50th anniversary year and relocated to a $1.5 million, 21,000-sq.-ft. facility at 2051 S. Meridian in Wichita, built to accommodate a student population that had grown to 350. Additional WTI campuses were added in Topeka, KS, in September 2002 and Joplin, MO in March 2004. |
