The Blinn College District’s Division of Technical and Community Education Programs will offer a variety of career training courses at the RELLIS Campus this September, preparing students for high-demand positions as carpenters, electricians, HVAC technicians, facilities maintenance professionals, and plumbers.
Blinn’s Technical and Community Education Program courses are designed to equip students with the knowledge and abilities needed to enter the workforce immediately after completing their program. Many of these courses do not require a high school diploma and enrollment is fast and easy. As most of these courses are non-credit, students do not need to go through the college’s admission process to enroll. Programs vary in length and are offered with daytime, evening, and weekend options.
Business owners can enroll their employees in Blinn Technical and Community Education Program courses using Texas Workforce Commission Skills Development funds and Skills for Small Business grants, and Blinn staff can help businesses complete the request form. Blinn also offers students access to scholarships through the Blinn College Foundation, private grants, and Workforce Solutions.
To register for these courses, visit the Blinn Post Office Campus at 301 Post Office Street in Bryan. To learn more or for additional information, call (979) 209-7205 or visit www.blinn.edu/workforce.
PRINCIPLES OF CARPENTRY Principles of Carpentry begins Monday, Sept. 9, and runs from 6-9pm Mondays and Wednesdays. The course follows the National Center for Construction Education and Research curriculum. Students who complete the program earn the Occupational Safety and Health Administration 10-Hour Construction Certificate, the NCCER Core Construction Certificate, the NCCER Level I Certificate for carpentry, and the Blinn College Certificate of Completion. Topics covered in the course include basic safety, construction math, hand tools, power tools, and employability skills.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for carpenters in 2018 was $46,590, with demand expected to grow by eight percent between 2016 and 2026, resulting in the addition of 83,800 jobs nation-wide.
ELECTRICAL APPRENTICESHIP/PRINCIPLES OF ELECTRICIAN TECHNICIAN Blinn’s four-level Electrical Apprenticeship Program features approximately 2,000 hours of on-the-job training and 144 hours of classroom training each year. The Level 1 section begins Monday, Sept. 9, and the subsequent sections begin Wednesday, Sept. 11. All levels run 5:30-9:30pm, with Level 1 meeting on Mondays and Levels 2-4 meeting on Wednesdays. An apprentice who completes the program is qualified to become a journeyman electrician licensed to work without direct supervision.
Principles of Electrician Technician begins Tuesday, Sept. 10, and runs 6-9pm Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Electrical Technician Program includes 240 hours of classroom instruction. Students who complete the course earn a certificate and their OSHA 10-hour safety training card. Graduates who earn their certificate through Blinn’s Electrician Technician Program are qualified to enter the field as an apprentice.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national demand for electricians will increase nine percent between 2016 and 2026, creating 59,600 new jobs with a median pay of $55,190 in 2018.
PRINCIPLES OF HVAC TECHNICIAN Blinn will offer two sections of Principles of HVAC Technician beginning Tuesday, Sept. 10. Both sections meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays with the first section running from 9am-noon and the second section running from 6-9pm.
These hands-on courses introduce students to the construction industry, basic electricity for HVAC, refrigeration principles, refrigeration, and Environmental Protection Agency recovery certification preparation.
HVAC mechanics and installers earned a median salary of $47,610 in 2018. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for these professionals is expected to grow 15 percent between 2016 and 2026, creating 48,800 new jobs.
PRINCIPLES OF FACILITIES MAINTENANCE Offered in partnership with the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, Principles of Facilities Maintenance is an accelerated, competency-based program that includes instruction in English and Spanish. Two sections will be offered beginning Monday, Sept. 9, and will meet Monday through Thursday, from 8am-5pm and 6-9pm, respectively.
Instruction covers basic facility maintenance knowledge and building code while providing students with entry-level carpentry, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical skills. Students who complete the program earn NCCER HVAC Level 1 certification, the OSHA 10-hour construction training card, and certificates from Blinn and TEEX.
PRINCIPLES OF PLUMBING Principles of Plumbing begins Tuesday, Sept. 10, and runs from 6-9pm Tuesdays and Thursdays. Blinn’s Plumbing Program covers basic safety, plumbing tools, plumbing math, plastic and copper tube fittings, water distribution systems, and much more.
Offered in partnership with TEEX, students who complete the program earn NCCER certification, the OSHA 10-hour construction training card, and certificates from Blinn and TEEX.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national demand for plumbers is expected to grow 16 percent between 2016 and 2026, generating 75,200 new jobs with a median pay of $53,910 per year.
