Tennessee College of Applied Technology
Tennessee College of Applied Technology Oneida/Huntsville is one of 24 colleges of applied technology in Tennessee, as of 2025. The college is governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents. Dwight Murphy has served as the college’s president since 2006. The college’s main campus is located on Scott High Drive, with satellite campuses on Eli Lane in Oneida, at York Institute in Jamestown, at the Morgan County Career Center in Wartburg, and at the Morgan County Correctional Complex in Wartburg. The college dual-enrolls high school students in Campbell and Anderson counties, as well as Scott, Morgan and Fentress counties.
Early Years
TCAT Oneida/Huntsville was founded in 1963 as Oneida State Area Vocational-Technical School.
Construction of the school’s first campus on Eli Lane began in July 1966 and was completed in January 1967. Classes began in Fall 1967, and the first students were transported from local high schools on Sept. 6, 1967.
The school offered three programs of study at that time: Office Occupations, Welding, and Electronics.
When the college opened in 1963, it was governed by the Tennessee Board of Education. That changed in 1983, when technical schools were placed under the jurisdiction of the Board of Regents, which had been established by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1972.
TTC era
In 1993, the school’s name was changed to Tennessee Technology Center-Oneida. In 1997, a new campus was completed in Huntsville and the name was changed to Tennessee Technology Center-Oneida/Huntsville.
The Huntsville campus, which opened in July 1997, consists of 35,000 square feet and cost $3.3 million to build. It is located on a 20-acre site on Scott High Drive that was donated by Scott County Commission.
The move from Oneida to Huntsville was advocated by long-time college president Arvis Blakley. The Huntsville campus is now named in his honor.
When the Huntsville campus opened in 1997, administrative offices moved from the Oneida campus to the Huntsville campus. Classes were offered at both campuses from 1997 to 1999. At that point, the Oneida campus was closed. However, it reopened in 2001 when an Auto Body Repair Technology program was added at the Oneida campus.
The modern era
Blakley announced his retirement in 2005, and was replaced by then-Scott County Mayor Dwight Murphy, who resigned his seat in county government to accept the employment offer from the Board of Regents.
Under Murphy’s leadership, the college has grown to include 23 programs, including several at the Oneida campus.
The college’s first school-wide graduation ceremony was held on April 11, 2008.
In 2013, the college’s name changed from TTC-Oneida/Huntsville to Tennessee College of Applied Technology Oneida/Huntsville.
TCAT today
As of July 2025, two new buildings are being constructed on the Oneida campus as part of an $18 million construction project that will house most of the programs offered there. A new campus is also being built in Jamestown; the Fentress County Higher Education Center will be shared with Roane State Community College.
Two new programs are slated to begin in September 2025: Earthmoving Equipment Operator, and Allied Health and Medical Assisting. A new program will begin in Fentress County in 2026: Telecommunications and Underground Construction Technology. An Aviation Repair program has also been proposed for the Oneida campus.
Other programs offered by TCAT Oneida/Huntsville include Automotive Technology, Building Construction Technology, Computer Information Technology, Cosmetology, Cosmetology Instructor, Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts Technology, Diesel-Powered Equipment Technology, Emergency Medical Technology, Farming Operations Technology, Industrial Maintenance/Mechatronics, Machine Tool Technology, Manufacturing Technology, Nursing Aide, Pharmacy Technology, Phlebotomy Technology, Power Line Construction and Maintenance, Practical Nursing, Truck Driving and Welding Technology.
The only of the three original programs still being offered is Welding. However, Machine Tool Technology began in March 1968 as Machine Shop, and Practical Nursing began in 1970. Automotive Technology began as Automotive Mechanics in 1976. Building Construction Technology also began in 1976 as Building Trades.
Classes are offered at the following locations:
Huntsville Main Campus: Allied Health and Medical Assisting, Automotive Technology, Computer Information Technology, Cosmetology, Cosmetology Instructor, Machine Tool Technology, Practical Nursing, and Welding Technology.
Oneida Satellite Campus: Building Construction Technology, Criminal Justice, Diesel-Powered Equipment Technology, Earthmoving Equipment Operator, Emergency Medical Technology, Industrial Maintenance/Mechatronics, Nursing Aide, Pharmacy Technology, Phlebotomy Technology, Power Line Construction and Maintenance, and Truck Driving.
York Institute Satellite Campus: Culinary Arts Technology, Diesel-Powered Equipment Technology, Emergency Medical Technology, Farming Operations Technology, Manufacturing Technology, Practical Nursing, Telecommunications and Underground Construction Technology, and Welding.
Morgan County Satellite Campus: Building Construction Technology, Culinary Arts Technology, Farming Operations Technology, and Welding Technology.
Morgan County Correctional Complex: Digital Graphic Design, and Truck Driving.
Anderson County High School: Culinary Arts Technology, Farming Operations Technology.
Clarkrange High School: Cosmetology, Culinary Arts Technology, Farming Operations Technology, Nursing Aide, and Welding Technology.
Jellico High School: Culinary Arts Technology.
Campbell County High School: Culinary Arts Technology, and Farming Operations Technology.
Oneida High School: Culinary Arts Technology
Leadership
TCAT Oneida/Huntsville’s president is Dwight Murphy. The vice president is Tim Smith. The director of student services is Jennifer Trammell. The Oneida campus director is Tom Payne.