Submitted Photo U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-ND, and Dean of Nursing & Allied Health at Williston State College Gail Raasakka tour the new Healthcare Training Facility.

WILLISTON – To better serve the growing Williston community, on Friday, May 8, area leaders and U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-ND, took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating Williston State College’s new Healthcare Training Facility.

According to information from Cramer’s office, this facility was created to help meet the region’s growing demand for skilled healthcare professionals by providing hands-on, career-focused training opportunities in Williston while addressing workforce shortages across the state. The project received support from every regional healthcare provider across northwestern North Dakota and eastern Montana.

“Access to quality healthcare in rural America is everything and that starts with an adequate workforce,” Cramer said. “This new state-of-the-art facility represents a significant investment in the future of northwest North Dakota’s healthcare workforce. Facilities like this one will provide students with invaluable hands-on training and will help meet the demand for medical professionals not only in the region, but across the state.”

WSC broke ground on the Healthcare Training Facility in May 2024, opened the facility in January, and launched its first courses during the spring semester.

While WSC has long offered nursing and massage therapy programs, the new Healthcare Training Facility has allowed the college to introduce additional career-focused programs, including medical assistant, EMT and paramedic training. More healthcare programs are planned for this year and beyond, with partnerships across the North Dakota University System expected to further expand educational opportunities for students pursuing healthcare careers.