Technical Career Center

School Leadership

Three people stand in what appears to be a workshop or industrial setting, engaged in conversation.

Dear Students, Parents, Staff, and Community Members,

Welcome to the Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center, where students gain the real-world skills and hands-on experience they need to launch successful careers. I am proud to lead an institution that has been preparing students for the workforce for over five decades — and one that continues to evolve to meet the needs of our students, our community, and the industries we serve.

At PBTCC, every instructor comes directly from the industry they teach, bringing a wealth of professional experience and a genuine passion for passing that knowledge on to the next generation. This combination of industry expertise and eager, motivated students creates a learning environment unlike any other — one where students come to school excited about what they are learning because they can see exactly where it is taking them.

We serve students from Poplar Bluff High School and a growing consortium of area schools, offering pathways in fields ranging from health care and culinary arts to computer integrated manufacturing, HVAC-R, and beyond. Our programs are continuously updated and equipped through competitive grants and industry partnerships, ensuring our students train on modern equipment in real-world settings. Whether a student plans to enter the workforce directly after graduation or continue their education in their chosen field, PBTCC gives them the foundation to succeed.

Dr. Leigh Ann Cornman, Director

Phone: +1 573-785-2248 | leighanncornman@pbmules.com

A group of people stand gathered outdoors in front of a brick building.

About Our School

Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center has been preparing students for career success for over five decades, serving students from Poplar Bluff High School and a consortium of more than ten area sending schools. PBTCC offers hands-on, industry-aligned training across a wide range of career pathways, with every instructor bringing direct professional experience from the field they teach.

Recent investments in program quality reflect PBTCC's commitment to staying on the cutting edge of career education. The computer integrated manufacturing program recently incorporated a six-axis robotic arm through a $27,000 Delta Workforce grant, and the HVAC-R program was one of only a dozen schools nationwide selected to receive a competitive $10,000 Explore the Trades equipment grant — the program's second five-figure competitive grant of late.

Students at PBTCC don't just learn skills in a classroom — they apply them in the real world. From culinary arts students preparing hundreds of meals for the school community to students completing projects that save the district money, PBTCC graduates leave with experience, credentials, and the confidence to succeed in their chosen field.