Trade offerings grow at FVCC with electrical, plumbing programs

Flathead Valley Community College will roll out new certificate programs in plumbing, electrical and other trades this fall, reflecting a nationwide trend toward employment-centered education.

Bill Roope, director of the tech-prep consortium, presented a status report Monday to the board of trustees on career and technical education programs.

"We been in the process of putting this together for two years," Roope told trustees.

After negotiations with the state Labor Department and local apprentice program officials, Roope created one-year plumber and electrician certificates which meet first-year apprentice program requirements in Montana.

He said apprentice plumbers work for five years to qualify to take state licensing exams. The first years focus on classroom and lab practice in preparation for on-the-job training.

According to Roope, electricians must document four years of preparation before taking licensing exams. As in plumbing, electrician apprentices spend the first years preparing before performing field work with master electricians.

"Initial course offerings will be in the fall at the Semitool leased facility," Roope said.

Located in the former Bell Campers building, the facility provides temporary housing until the college completes its new vocational technical building next summer.

When the college has the new building and tools, Roope plans to expand the programs into two-year degrees in fall 2006.

"You attend FVCC and get the first two years of a five-year requirement," Roope said of the plumbing degree.

The electrical degree would meet the first two years of both union and nonunion electrician apprentice programs.

Roope said employers like the degree concept because it would sort out the apprentices who have the interest and dedication to complete the years of training to become master plumbers and electricians.

He said that there are currently 33 apprentices working toward master plumber's licenses and 57 preparing for master electrician's licenses.

Roope said the college will engage a licensed master plumber and master electrician as instructors.

Other new developments presented by Roope include:

-The heating, ventilation, air conditioning/refrigeration certificate will include a boiler license course. Roope also announced the program has received a donation of $65,000 in boilers as well as floor-heat and snow-melt systems.

-The heavy equipment operations program has purchased $523,000 in new equipment, including excavators, a backhoe, bulldozer, a dump truck, skidders and a equipment trailer.

Roope said vendors provided 50 percent discounts which gave the college $1.2 million in equipment. A grader will join the inventory when the state releases $120,000 of the remaining grant made to the college.

-The University of Montana's College of Technology donated 25 small engines for a small engines and recreational vehicles repair courses to start at Flathead High School's auto shop. A steering committee will look into offering a certificate or two-year degree in power equipment.

These courses were requested by local employers including Midway Rental.

-A manufacturing grant purchased 20 new welders for use in the welding certificate program. In the fall, the college will use the Semitool leased building for labs until the new building is finished.

"We will have probably the premier welding facility in the state," Roope said.

-Students working for the metals fabrication one-year certificate will design and produce cabinets, work benches, tables and fixtures for the new vocational technical building.

Trustee Bob Nystuen asked that college officials track the careers of graduates of these technical programs.

"We should focus more on careers," Nystuen said. "These aren't just jobs, they're careers."

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.