1920s
1920 - Territorial Trade School opened on February 2, 1920 with 42 students in the buildings of the old Chinese Hospital in Pālama
1925 - Territorial Trade School became the Smith-Hughes department of McKinley High School
1927 - Territorial Trade School renamed Honolulu Vocational School. In addition to the vocational courses in auto mechanics, machine shop, mill woodworking and dressmaking, the students received instruction in English, mathematics and civics.
1929 - Legislature appropriated $40,000 for improvements in the physical plant of the campus.
1930s
1931 - Dillingham Boulevard opened
1940s
1941 - Honolulu Vocational School assisted in making war-related items such as machine gun mounts and land mines
1946 - Cosmetology, Refrigeration, Drafting and Radio programs were added
1947 - Auto Mechanics Shop entered its first permanent building
1948 - Baking program developed
1949 - Construction of the Carpentry, Sheet Metal and Machine shops started by Oahu Construction Company. Aeronautics Maintenance program started.
1950s
1950 - Plumbing program started
1951 - Masonry program started
1952 - Auto Body and Repair program started
1955 - The Department of Public Instruction approved the name change from Honolulu Vocational School to Honolulu Technical School due to the increased enrollment and expansion
1958 - Baking program moved into Foods Building that housed the school's bake shop and cafeteria (Building 4)
1959 - Computing Security and Networking Technology, formerly known as Radio and TV Repair, started
1960s
1962 - The Automotive building (Building 3) was completed along with the Electronics building (Building 20)
1963 - Building 5 was constructed and housed engineering aid, drafting, building trades, cosmetology, commercial sewing programs and classrooms
1964 - State Legislature passed Act 39, titled the Community College Act, which established a system of community colleges in Hawaiʻi
1965 - Honolulu Technical School was transferred from the Department of Education to the University of Hawaiʻi System
1966 - UH Board of Regents approved the name change to Honolulu Community College and granted the awarding of associate degrees
1966 - Electricity building (Building 24) was added. Applied Art, which changed to Commercial Art and now known as Communication Arts, started.
1966 - 850 day school students and 1500 evening students made Honolulu the largest community college in the state. The following year's enrollment jumped another 40 percent.
1967 - Administration of Justice program and Fire and Environmental Emergency Response program started
1968 - Human Services program added
1970s
1971 - Early Childhood Education, which began as part of the Human Services program, started
1972 - Fashion and Cosmetology building (Building 27) was constructed
1974 - Liberal Arts and Library building (Building 7), Administrative and Student Services building (Building 6) and the air conditioning plant were built
1975 - Occupational and Environmental Safety Management program started
1975 - Pearl Harbor Shipyard Apprentice School started classroom instruction at HonCC, starting with ship repair and maintenance
1977 - Trade Industry Complex (Building 14) was completed
1979 - Classroom/Campus Center building (Building 2) was erected
1980s
1982 - Enrollment peaked at 5,327
1986 - Automotive Technology building (Building 43) was opened on the makai end of Kokea St
1988 - Diesel Mechanics Facility (Building 44) was completed
1990s
1995 - Airport Training Center (Building 52) was built at Honolulu International Airport off Lagoon Drive
1995 - Marine Education and Training Center (METC, Building 50) opened on Sand Island
1998 - Pacific Aerospace Training Center takes over hangar at Kalaeloa (Building 57)
2000s
2001 - Pacific Center for Advanced Technology Training (PCATT) opened its administrative headquarters at HonCC
2005 - Parking Lot 1C added to bring total area of the Dillingham campus to 25.136 acres
2006 - Construction Academy was established
2008 - Music and Entertainment Learning Experience (MELE) program started
2010s
2011 – Ka Māla o Niuhelewai, The Garden of Niuhelewai, was established
2012 - Associate in Arts in Hawaiian Studies started
2013 - Associate of Science in Natural Sciences started
2019 - Campus Traditional Hale completed
In 2020, Honolulu Community College proudly celebrates its centennial anniversary. As the oldest community college in the State of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu Community College has awarded thousands of degrees and certificates, in addition to immeasurable non-credit and apprenticeship courses, fulfilling its mission to provide accessible and quality educational opportunities to current and future generations of Hawaiʻi.
