Carbon Career & Technical Institute celebrated 50 years of vocational education training this October.

CCTI opened its doors as the first vocational education school in the state to be built from the ground up on Oct. 17, 1966.By 1992, it had transitioned to a full-time comprehensive program that allowed students to complete their education requirements at a single location, and in 1995 the first class graduated. 2011 saw the completion of a $20 million renovation and expansion that added 33,000 feet to the facility, as well as upgrades and remodeling for each classroom and technical area.The 50th anniversary event celebrated the school’s rich history, with plenty of memorabilia including yearbooks and course programs.Refreshments were available for ’60s prices, meaning you could get a full meal for under a dollar. Instructional aide and alumni Rob Pathroff entertained the crowd with live music from his band Distant Thunder.Technical areas were open to the public, many with live demonstrations and displays of historical equipment.Cosmetology students even dressed up to match their favorite decade of CCTI’s 50 years.“All of our tech teachers had some really nice displays showing the history of their particular areas, so that’s really showing everybody the history of the school and the progress we’ve been making,” administrative director Dave Reinbold said.