CHAMPAIGN — Parkland College continues to grow the number of its career and technical education courses.
Last week, the college’s board of trustees approved four more such programs that will be offered next fall.
“The growth area is in the career area, the technical education — sometimes health professions areas — where employers are seeking the programming for new employees,” said Nancy Sutton, vice president for academic services.
Two of the new program offerings — electrician fundamentals and industrial maintenance mechanic — are competency-based programs, meaning students will get credit for what they already know when they start.
Those two plus an HVAC technician program are certificate programs that can be completed in fewer than 20 credit hours.
The fourth program offering, AGCO service technician, will require 63 credit hours and earn the graduate an associate degree in applied science.
Sutton said competency-based education programs are growing in popularity.
“That is a movement that is occurring across Illinois where community colleges are getting on board,” Sutton said. “The idea is to develop programs to have a more flexible schedule to work with (students’) work schedules, (and they will) get credit for prior learning.”
It will enable a student to complete training at a lower cost. Students who already have some of the necessary skills in their field can skip those classes and move to the next level.
“We have worked with employers in the area to determine what are the competencies,” Sutton said. “Industrial maintenance, welding, maybe they know some of the things but don’t have some of the higher-level skills.”
Sutton said Parkland received a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor for competency-based education programs.
In the electrician fundamentals program, students will learn to install, service and repair electrical circuits and systems.
The industrial maintenance program will produce entry-level and intermediate maintenance skilled-trade workers, promoting internship agreements with area businesses and contractors.
The HVAC technician program prepares graduates for entry-level positions to install, troubleshoot and repair residential heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. Students will work to earn EPA Section 608 technician certification.
Sutton said Parkland already has a two-year HVAC program that will be revised to a shorter program “that is more what the employers have been looking for.”
“They tend to want to get them out in the workforce sooner, working with refrigerants and coolants,” she said. “It is directly in partnership with the trades and unions. It’s a certificate that probably won’t take more than a semester or two.”
The AGCO service technician program is similar to one Parkland has with Case New Holland in that it will be specific to AGCO, “an international organization that handles farm equipment,” she said. “They have several brands they represent. There are several dealers in our area. They don’t have a training program.”
The Illinois Community College Board and the Higher Learning Commission must approve the four new offerings before they can be offered at Parkland.
The new programs will be just the latest in career and technical education.
In the past, “we’ve added new certificates and programs related to the trades, the unions; added some in the health profession, in EMS and fire service,” Sutton said.
Goodbye president, hello new officer
In other business, Parkland President Tom Ramage provided his final update to the board.
Ramage is retiring after almost 16 years at the helm of the community college. Trustees wished him well.
The board also administered the oath of office to Conner Weber as a peace officer in the Parkland Public Safety Department.
Weber earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Illinois. He serves as firefighter and fire investigator with the Edge-Scott Fire Protection District and received the 2021 Firefighter of the Year award.
Weber comes to Parkland after serving as an officer with the Urbana Police Department.
