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October 6, 2009
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Funding Received for Plumber’s
Apprentice Program
Northeast Alabama Community College President Dr. David Campbell
recently announced that the college will receive just over
$120,000 of federal recovery funds under the Governor’s Recovery
Act Skills Training Program. These funds, which are part of the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, are administered by the
Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and the
Governor’s Office of Workforce Development.
This grant will provide funding to operate a Plumber’s
Apprentice Career Track training program to adult and displaced
worker clients in Jackson and DeKalb counties referred through
the Alabama Career Center System. The 144 clock-hour-long course
of study will allow students to move quickly into an internship
program and progress quickly to journeyman status.
“As part of an agreement with the Alabama State Plumbers and Gas
Fitters Examining Board,” stated Dr. Mike Kennamer, Director of
Workforce Development at NACC, “the training that students
receive in our program will count as one year of the normal
apprenticeship requirement.” This, according to Kennamer, means
that students who complete the program will be able to progress
to journeyman plumber after one year of work.
The first of three planned training sessions will begin in late
October. Students selected for the program will not only receive
their training at no cost to them, but will also receive books,
uniforms, and tools as part of the program. “We want to equip
these students to be able to hit the ground running once they
complete the program,” stated Kennamer.
According to Alabama Occupational Projections 2014, job growth
for plumbers and pipefitters in northeast Alabama is expected to
be slow and steady through 2014, with 1.63% growth per year. It
should be noted, however, that a boom in construction locally
could mean much faster growth.
“As we know, our area has been hard hit by plant closings and
layoffs,” stated NACC President Dr. David Campbell. “We have
sought out programs that can provide some training opportunities
for area residents that can get them on the road to new jobs and
careers. This is a new area for us, but if some anticipated
construction projects in our area materialize, this program
could really flourish. We are appreciative of those who are
funding and supporting this program at the federal and state
levels, particularly the Governor’s Office of Workforce
Development, the Region II Workforce Council, and the Alabama
State Workforce Planning Council.”
For more information about the Plumber’s Apprentice Career Track
Program at NACC, contact Julie George at
georgej@nacc.edu or phone
ext. 214. Because this is a federally-funded program, only those
individuals who qualify through the Alabama Career Center System
will be accepted into the program. Prospective students must
visit their local Career Center office to apply. Alabama Career
Centers are located in Scottsboro, Fort Payne, and on the campus
of NACC. The Alabama Career Center on the Northeast campus may
be reached by telephone at 256-638-2239.
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