The Tennessee College of Applied Technology McKenzie is one of 24 Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology and 37 total institutions in the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) system that are located across the state, serving the citizens of Tennessee. The TBR and the Board of Trustees of the University of Tennessee System are coordinated by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). THEC was created by the General Assembly in 1967 to achieve coordination and unity in the programs of public higher education in Tennessee. The TBR system was created by legislation enacted by the 1963 General Assembly of Tennessee, Chapter 229 of House Bill 633. Chapter 18, Senate Bill 746-House Bill 697, of the Public Act of 1983 transferred the governance of the state technical institutes and area vocational-technical schools from the State Board of Education to the Tennessee Board of Regents. The transfer became effective on July 1, 1983. By action of the Tennessee Legislature in 1994, the school name changed from McKenzie State Area Vocational Technical School to Tennessee Technology Center at McKenzie. In 2013, the Legislature unanimously approved changing the name of the state’s technology centers to the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology.

The Tennessee Board of Regents, the governing body for Tennessee College of Applied Technology McKenzie underwent a major shift in 2017 because of the FOCUS Act of 2016 and the appointment of a new Chancellor, Dr. Flora Tydings. The FOCUS Act seeks to ensure the state’s Community Colleges and Tennessee College of Applied Technology McKenzie are organized, supported,and empowered in efforts to increase the percentage of Tennesseans with a postsecondary credential. Largely this involved the development of local governing boards for each of the six universities thus allowing TBR a greater focus on the 13 community Colleges and 24 Tennessee College of Applied Technology McKenzie. Additional TBR efforts under the leadership of Dr. Tydings included the retitling of the chief administrative officers of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology McKenzie Director to President; the movement towards all 37 campuses in the TBR system operating with shared services; and, the restructuring of the TBR organization uniting the community and Tennessee College of Applied Technology McKenzie through common offices and services.

Tennessee College of Applied Technology McKenzie Campus

Tennessee College of Applied Technology McKenzie began as the State Area Vocational-Technical school with its first classes beginning in July 1965. Courses offered were Auto Mechanics, Drafting, and Office Occupations. By August 1965, Industrial Electricity/Electronics, Machine Shop, and Air Conditioning/Refrigeration were also being offered. The name of the college was legislatively changed to Tennessee Technology Centers in July 1995. In June 2013, the governor signed into legislation the name change to Tennessee College of Applied Technology.

Over the past years, programs have been dropped and added to meet the growing and changing needs of the businesses and industries in our area. Present program offerings include Administrative Office Technology, Automotive Technology, Information Technology Systems Management, Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning, Industrial Maintenance Integrated Automation, Machine Tool Technology, and Welding.

The College has a history of over 50 years of providing quality education and workforce development to the communities served.

Branch Campuses

In 1999 Tennessee College of Applied Technology McKenzie opened a branch campus in Weakley County in the city of Dresden. Currently, Welding Technology is offered at the site.