Northwest Technical Institute

The next MTE class is set to begin on Tuesday, October 22nd and will run through Tuesday, December 10th.

Modern Trail Education (MTE) consists of 16 hours of trail development, history of mobility, environmentalism, stewardship, trades skills and practices, and includes 4 hours of volunteer competency.

Our program is instructed by one of the leading industry experts in the field: Steve Schneider. Steve is a 25 year veteran of the trade who has designed and built trails all over America and abroad. It contains classroom instruction in conjunction with competency assessments in field activities. Participants should dress for potential field activities in rugged outdoor environments.

Outdoor recreation professionals need safety to be at the forefront of their industry. The 16 hour Wilderness First Aid certification portion of the class is being instructed by Tom Burroughs of Ozark Safety and Rescue. Tom's one of the worlds foremost Outdoor Activity Risk Management professionals.

PLEASE NOTE: You can pay for this course online!

The outdoor recreation industry provides benefit to communities like ours and also across the nation. Skills developed in the MTE setting have many different applications, contributing to opportunities in multiple related fields. NWTI’s program is a 32 hour short-term track course, that trains you to become a qualified technician so that you can explore excellent career opportunities doing what you love!

You can quickly earn a technical certificate in the field of Modern Trail Management, and be prepared for a number of trail careers including manager, crew member, project manager and more.

Through the MTE program at NWTI, you will learn trade application, history, ethics, and safety, as well as government and industry insight. You’ll also have networking opportunities to collaborate with employers and community partners, building relationships in this rapidly growing field.

Northwest Arkansas is known as the Mountain Biking Capital of the world, and outdoor recreation represents a LARGE percentage of the U.S. GDP. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, that percentage equals $1.1 Trillion in economic output, and nearly 5 million jobs for U.S. employees. The opportunities right here in Northwest Arkansas are just as plentiful!

At a price of just $500, our comprehensive 32 hour certificate program has one of the lowest costs in the region, while maintaining NWTI's high standards for quality curriculum and education.

Phil Penny: Owner of Rogue Trails | Subject Material - Environmental Science

Justin Culpepper: Trails Coordinator | Subject Material - Trail Management

Matt Mihalevich: Active Transportation | Subject Material - Paved Trail Development

Lori Greminger: NWACC Trail Technician Director | Subject Material - Trail Education Programs

David Godwin: VP Ozark Off The Road Cyclist | Subject Material - Volunteer Opportunity