OTC - West shows off new Ocoee campus

Scott Weidl’s eyes were filled with pride as he watched the first students walk on to the new Orange Technical College — West Campus in Ocoee for their first day of school Monday, Aug. 12.

Weidl has served with OTC for 18 years and at the West Campus for 16 of those. He has been the school’s senior director since July 2023. 

Although Weidl believes all the OTC campuses have their own charm, OTC — West always has had his heart.

“I’ve had the good fortune to work at this campus for many years,” he said. “I’ve worked with so many great people who have contributed to the success of our students and our school. While it was bittersweet to close out a very successful chapter at our old campus that has meant so much to so many, I’m excited to build upon our rich history by starting a new, exciting chapter at our new location. … The first day of school was surreal for just about everyone, staff and students alike. The feedback from our students has been overwhelmingly positive. To see the smiles on their faces and the energy that has come from being in such a beautiful and modern facility is something I’ll always remember.”

A NEW BEGINNING

OTC — West — previously located at 955 E. Story Road, Winter Garden — broke ground on the new campus in February 2023. 

The $42.3 million campus — located at 2010 Ocoee-Apopka Road, Ocoee — is indeed something special to behold, boasting 115,604 square feet with five buildings. 

"We are thrilled to celebrate the opening of the new Orange Technical College - West Campus," Rosa Grant, executive leader for Career and Technical Education with Orange County Public Schools, said. "This milestone represents a significant expansion and improvement in our facilities and a tremendous opportunity to enhance our apprenticeship programs and skilled trades education. By deepening our partnerships with industry leaders and expanding our offerings in building construction and general trades, we are committed to equipping our students with the skills they need to excel in today's competitive job market and beyond."

The school has a capacity for 1,110 student stations and has 506 parking spaces. 

Although the school purchased 38 acres for the campus, there currently are only 17 in use. The unoccupied space includes building and campus areas planned for growth and future expansion. 

The new campus includes five buildings — a pair of two-story buildings and three one-story buildings — with features such as construction labs, classrooms, an event space and hybrid lab, cafe and campus store, administration offices, construction yard, and a full-service salon.

There are separate access points for buses and deliveries from the East Fullers Cross Road extension, with two-bus stacking at drop-off. 

There is bike access to the West Orange Trail with a maintained 10-foot adjacent tree buffer. The design saves existing trees on campus. There also is a path for dual-enrollment students from neighboring Ocoee High School to walk to the campus.

In addition, the site was designed to keep Green Globes sustainable building standards, with optimized building envelope performance, maximized daylight through design and solar energy panels.

The school’s design helps to maximize the space, with facilities constructed to aid instruction and help instructors to teach to a greater depth in their respective fields.

There are about 60 programs offered across the six OTC campuses. 

The West Campus offers two clusters: architecture and construction, and human services.

Career pathways include welding, heating, ventilation, air conditioning/refrigeration, electrical, building construction, carpentry and plumbing, as well as human services/personal care pathways, such as cosmetology, advanced esthetics, facials and nails. 

The campus also will help students with learning English, becoming an apprentice, earning a GED or expanding industry-based skills.

Yet another special piece the school offers is the Build Your Future program, which is a college experience for adults with unique abilities (intellectual disabilities) to increase competitive employment outcomes. The program is designed with two components: workforce readiness training and career training. 

The West Campus is the first school in OCPS to have buildings with doors where students scan their IDs to gain access.

Every Friday will be spirit day at the campus, where students are encouraged to wear their free T-shirts that commemorate the opening of the new campus. 

OTC — West will host a grand opening event for the community at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 8.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Weidl is excited to have a modern, state-of-the-art facility that matches the quality instruction that takes place inside the school’s classrooms on a daily basis. 

“Our students deserve the best, and I know our new campus will better meet their needs because of the planning that went into designing it down to the smallest details,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how our students flourish as they enter the workforce because of the enhanced training they will receive from our new facilities.”

Cosmetology student Jacqueline Garcia’s favorite part about the new campus is the school’s salon. 

“It is very beautiful, and it mimics what it’s like working in a salon,” she said. “There’s many stations, a nail salon and a facial spa. Everyone is playing different roles and working together to satisfy our customers. What I am most looking forward to in the future is to gain experience and clientele to be able to have my own salon where I will perform hair-color services, styles and haircuts.”

Although school counselor Lisa Munyon only has been with OTC — West for about a year, she has had the opportunity to work at both the old and the new campuses. 

“My favorite part about the new campus is our large courtyard area,” she said. “I love that our campus has an outdoor space where students can relax, get fresh air and visit with others. I am looking forward to watching OTC — West grow alongside the West Orange community and having people learn about the many educational opportunities we offer at our campus."