Southwest Tech District

The Southwest Wisconsin Vocational-Technical Institute District, comprised of five full southwest Wisconsin counties and portions of four others, became operational on July 1, 1967, pursuant to Chapter 292, Laws of Wisconsin of 1965. The development process that resulted in what we now call Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, or Southwest Tech, began immediately with the selection of initial programs, creation of advisory committees, and recruitment of staff members. Farm Training was the first college program and began functioning in Fall 1967. During the 1968-69 fiscal year, college leadership initiated a comprehensive building plan. This led to the development of the present campus facilities located in Fennimore, Wisconsin, near the center of the Southwest Tech District.

The following map shows the location of each of the 16 Wisconsin technical college districts, with the Southwest Tech District highlighted in yellow.

Southwest Tech is integral to a balanced local economy and a fine example of how technical education can thrive in a rural environment. It is the only institution of higher learning in southwest Wisconsin that features an occupational curricula and confers a two-year associate degree and one- and two-year technical diplomas. Also within the Southwest Tech District are a four-year campus of the University of Wisconsin and one of that system's two-year regional campuses.

Area Served

• All of Crawford, Grant, Iowa, Lafayette, and Richland counties and part of Dane, Green, Sauk, and Vernon counties
• 30 public K-12 school districts
• 3,800 square miles: 80 miles east to west, and 100 miles north to south.
• Total population = 122,333 (2000 Census)