History of MCC
The present community college system in Nebraska started in 1971 when the Nebraska Legislature created eight technical community college areas across the state. One of these new areas was called the Eastern Nebraska Technical Community College Area, which encompassed Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy, and Washington counties. An area vocational technical school operated by the Omaha Board of Education already served part of this area.
Metropolitan Community College (MCC) was created in 1974 when the Legislature consolidated the original eight technical community college areas into six. That year, the programs, personnel, assets and liabilities of the former Omaha Nebraska Technical Community College Area merged with the Eastern Nebraska Technical Community College Area under a new name stipulated by amended legislative statutes: the Metropolitan Technical Community College Area. In 1992, the Legislature voted to change the name to Metropolitan Community College Area.
Over the last two decades, two types of expansion initiatives have enabled the College to adapt to the needs of its students and local employers. First, public-private funding partnerships, along with strong industry support, made possible state-of-the-art facilities that serve as centers of excellence across an array of career fields. The Construction Education Center and Center for Advanced and Emerging Technologies on the Fort Omaha Campus, and the Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Automotive Training Center on the South Omaha Campus all stand as top-in-class facilities designed to grow with the industries into the future. Meanwhile, an array of community-based locations brings accessible, affordable education to local neighborhoods. Three MCC Express locations offer workforce training, English-as-a-Second Language, GED, and other non-credit programs, while three MCC locations in Omaha’s Millwork Commons offer niche programs designed to meet the needs of learners from all generations. In 2022, MCC is poised to extend these proven models as it gathers community and stakeholder input for its next ten-year master plan for facilities.
The addition and enhancement of instructional facilities are geared specifically to prepare students for success in college and the workforce in the four-county area for years to come.