This Is North Dakota’s Butcher School On Wheels.

It's a trailer on the outside and...slaughterhouse on the inside.

Maybe more like an educational butcher shop on the inside.  Currently sponsored by the good folks at Dakota Community bank.  You'll find this bad boy sitting on the bank's parking lot on the strip in Mandan.

Right by where I park at work...

So I wonder what's going on in there?

Yup, it's kinda like that I think.  Before I start explaining the pig heads, let's get into officially what it is we're looking at...(not actual CRACTC pig heads)

What the heck is CRACTC?

Welcome to the Central Regional Area Career and Technical Center (CRACTC)! The CRACTC is a “Virtual” Career and Technical Center established in 2008 as a partnership with the CREA – Central Regional Education Association. The CREA is 1 of 7 Rural Educational Associations (REA’s) in North Dakota. Initial funding for this program came from a grant from the North Dakota Legislature through the State Department of Career and Technical Education and from the memberships of 28 school districts with high schools that are members of the CREA; school districts who are not part of the CREA/CRACTC membership may also enroll in CRACTC courses (dependent upon availability) at a non-member rate.

CRACTC offers more than 30 online and ITV (interactive television) courses in 9 career areas.

CRACTC Mission:To provide Career and Technical Educational (CTE) opportunities to our member schools’ students, in the most economical fashion, where every student has the same educational opportunity regardless of the size or location of the school.

So, I'm not interested in the other 8 career areas offered, but if your are just click here.

SRCTC - MOBILE MEATS LAB 2101 9TH ST N WAHPETON ND 58075

The mobile meats lab means that high school students from across the state can get training in butchery from an officially state-sanctioned butcher.  They're listed under the custom-exempt category of ND meat processors...

 Many of these establishments also operate under a retail exemption, which allows them to purchase meat and poultry products from approved inspected sources (state or FSIS); further process them and then sell it at their retail counter.

So it's officially a classroom on how to process them pig heads and even more legitimate cuts

Processed into sweet cuts and sausages...

These are not actual photos from the high school slaughter trailer...but it seems like that's what probably happens in there.

Want to see inside?  Me too!

This is from the Central Regional Area Career and Technical Center's Facebook page...

Here is a sneak peak of what CRACTC has been up to this summer. A project as massive as the mobile meats lab wouldn’t be possible without community supporters like Dakota Community Bank & Trust. Swing by their North State Street branch to catch a glimpse!

It's just a picture of the rig on the page, the part I like is "swing by to take a look"!  It's no longer at the Bismarck location, but maybe if you want to take a "glimpse".  Come on by Dakota Community Bank and Trust's Mandan location on the strip and you can see if there is something your high schooler would benefit from and find out when/where those sessions may be available.

Here's the round steak shot.