PIPEFITTING STUDENTS: From left, Cody Owen and Brent Gray practice their pipefitting skills under the watchful eye of their instructor, Joel Dickens.
Jodi Marze | Picayune Item

POPLARVILLE— Pearl River Community College announced its Workforce Training summer courses for 2014.

This year they will offer welding, pipefitting and truck driving through their Poplarville campus. Shipfitting will be offered through their Waveland Campus.

PRCC welding instructor, Leland Kennedy, has taught welding at the college for more 20 years.

“We are offering programs through the National Center for Construction Education and Research which is a national credentialing association,” Kennedy said. “All of these classes we hold through the summer are able to offer national credentials because of the curriculum we use.”

PRCC Vice President of Economic and Community Development Scott Alsobrooks said the courses are designed to give students mobility and flexibility when seeking jobs.

Student success is of the utmost importance. At the end of the day students in these short term, intense work preparatory programs attend classes to bolster their earning potential, Alsobrooks said.

Instructors go over basic processes to get students started in their chosen trade and by the end of the class, they should be qualified to go to work at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Quality Welding, Global Fabrication or a similar company. It really depends on who is hiring, Kennedy said.

Kennedy said programs like pipefitting teaches students the first two levels of credentialing. He said that many of these students have gone on to obtain employment at Trinity Yachts, power plants and other companines due to the high demand.

Shipfitting instruction is offered at PRCC’s Waveland location. The classes will be held through the third or fourth week of July. Kennedy said he thinks most people who want to acquire jobs are able to do so afterward.

Once a student has completed the course, PRCC team members work closely with local and regional employers to help with job potential.

“We will be starting the same set of classes in August. So if someone is unable to get into a class because it is full or now is not the right time, they can certainly watch for the August classes,” Alsobrooks said.

Class enrollment requires a drug test and tuition assistance is available.

For more information, contact Gloria at 601-403-1241.