Trades Facility Construction

On May 21, 2024, voters in Lincoln County approved a bond measure referred by OCCC to build a center for trades education and update and upgrade existing college facilities. 

Initial plans for the Oregon Coast Advanced Technology & Trades (OCATT) Center were first drafted in 2017. The center will greatly expand pre-apprenticeship training and programming for county residents, as well as offer a variety of certificates and degrees in the marine, technical, and construction trades. All proposed OCATT programming will ultimately be subject to NWCCU approval, as well as demand and feasibility assessments. As of June 2026, programs anticipated for the building’s first years of operation include the following (note: any program launched must first receive approval from various entities including the College’s accrediting agency, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities):

• Construction/Carpentry Skills Development
• Pre-Apprenticeship
• Industrial Facilities Maintenance
• Maritime Technology (Broad: May include Refrigeration, Marine Diesel, Electronics, etc.)
• HVAC
• Welding

In the May ’24 election, Lincoln County notched a 40% voter turnout and the measure passed overwhelmingly, with 64.59% votes in favor (10,065 for vs. 5,518 against).  

Subsequently, the OCCC Board of Education approved a Bond Authorization. 

Facilities, Furnishings, Safety, and Modernization

Plans for the portion of the levy proceeds to be invested in the College’s existing facilities were informed by a 2023 facilities needs assessment study, performed by GLAS Architects. These projects include safety and facilities modernization and upgrades, some remodeling and improvement of student study spaces and furnishings. A priority project, re-roofing the Central County Campus building in Newport, was identified in this Needs Assessment, and was substantially completed by October 2024.  Roof replacement, including a solar array that is expected to generate 99% of the building’s electricity use each year, is underway at the North County Center in Lincoln City during the summer of 2026. Check back for updates as additional projects are completed.

Thank You for Your Involvement

OCCC thanks the dozens of groups and individuals who hosted College staff and representatives, as well as members of the all-volunteer “Friends of OCCC” political action committee, for public presentations on Measure 21-224, during which speakers fielded hundreds of questions about the college’s plans, the structure and scope of the 21-year levy, and more. 

If you belong to a club or organization that may want to hear updates about the ongoing construction and planning for the pre-apprenticeship trades education facility and programs, email occc@oregoncoast.edu.