BUILDING TRADES CAREER FAIR APRIL 9 AT RELLIS CAMPUS
Workforce Solutions Brazos Valley, the RELLIS Academic Alliance, and the Blinn College District are partnering to host a building trades career fair Saturday, April 9.
The career fair will take place at the RELLIS Campus Agriculture and Workforce Education Complex at 1244 7th Street on the RELLIS Campus in Bryan from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will feature instructors from Blinn’s Carpentry, Electrical Technology, Facility Maintenance, HVAC, and Welding Technology programs to provide tours of their facilities at the Agriculture and Workforce Education Complex and answer questions. Local companies also will be on hand to network with prospective employees and discuss their educational requirements.
“The sky is the limit for the graduates of trades-related programs,” said Jay Anderson, the Blinn College District’s Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences, Technical Education, and Community Programs. “Demand is high, wages and salaries are very high, and the skills are driven by business and industry needs.”
For more information regarding Blinn’s technical and community education programs, visit www.blinn.edu/workforce or email trades@blinn.edu.
For more information regarding the career fair and Workforce services, contact Workforce Solutions Brazos Valley at 979-595-2800, extension 2019. This is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech-impaired customers may contact Relay Texas at 800-735-2989 (TTY) and 711 (voice).
CARPENTRY
All Blinn carpentry courses follow the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) curriculum, a nationally recognized curriculum developed with the cooperation of more than 125 construction CEOs, trade association officials, and academic leaders. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, carpenters earn a median salary of $49,520 per year.
Blinn students can earn their Associate of Applied Science Degree in Carpentry, their NCCER Core Construction and Carpentry Level 1-4 certifications, and Blinn’s Occupational Skills Award and Level 1 and 2 certificates in carpentry.
Credentials are stackable, meaning that students can begin by completing their Occupational Skills Award, which provides entry-level skills for students seeking work as a general construction carpenter. They can then apply those credits toward their Level 1 certificate, then pursue their 42-credit hour Level 2 certificate and their 60-credit-hour Associate of Applied Science degree, receiving each award as they complete the requirements.
ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY
Blinn offers students interested in an electrical career an opportunity to complete its 240-hour Electrical Technician Program and a 144-hour Electrical Apprenticeship Program. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, electricians earn a median salary of $56,900 per year.
The Electrical Technician Program includes basic construction safety and the fundamentals of electricity. Students who complete the program earn a certificate and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10-hour safety training card. Graduates who earn their certificate through Blinn’s Electrician Program are qualified to enter the field as apprentices.
The Electrical Apprenticeship Program includes four levels of instruction and 144 hours of classroom training each year. Apprentices who complete Blinn’s Electrical Apprenticeship Program are qualified to become journeyman electricians, licensed to work without direct supervision.
FACILITY MAINTENANCE
Blinn’s Facility Maintenance Program offers an Occupational Skills Award, Level 1 and 2 certificates, and an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Facility Maintenance.
Students in the program receive training in entry-level carpentry, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical skills for maintaining commercial and industrial buildings. All Blinn facility maintenance courses follow the nationally recognized NCCER curriculum.
Credentials are stackable, meaning that students can begin by completing their Occupational Skills Award, which provides entry-level skills for students seeking work as a skilled facility maintenance technician. They can then apply those credits toward their Level 1 certificate, then pursue their 42-credit hour Level 2 certificate and their 60-credit-hour Associate of Applied Science degree, receiving each award as they complete the requirements.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, facility maintenance professionals earn a median salary of $40,850 per year.
HVAC
Blinn’s HVAC Program offers an Occupational Skills Award, Level 1 and 2 certificates, and an Associate of Applied Science Degree in HVAC.
Students in the program receive training in the fundamentals of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; safety; residential and commercial applications; heat pumps; and Environmental Protection Agency recovery certification. All Blinn HVAC courses follow the nationally recognized NCCER curriculum.
Credentials are stackable, meaning that students can begin by completing their Occupational Skills Award, which provides entry-level skills for students seeking work as a skilled HVAC technician. They can then apply those credits toward their Level 1 certificate, then pursue their 42-credit hour Level 2 certificate and their 60-credit-hour Associate of Applied Science degree, receiving each award as they complete the requirements.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, HVAC professionals earn a median salary of $50,590 per year.
WELDING TECHNOLOGY
Blinn’s Welding Technology Program offers an Occupational Skills Award, Level 1 and 2 certificates, and an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Welding Technology.
The program offers competency-based training in welding technology for students pursuing college credit or participating in continuing education. The hands-on skills development curriculum includes entry-level to advanced levels in a variety of welding processes such as Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW), basic metallurgy, and inspection procedures based on industry welding codes.
Credentials are stackable, meaning that students can begin by completing their Occupational Skills Award, which provides entry-level skills for students seeking work as a welder. They can then apply those credits toward their Level 1 certificate, then pursue their 42-credit hour Level 2 certificate and their 60-credit-hour Associate of Applied Science degree, receiving each award as they complete the requirements.
(Story courtesy Richard Bray, Blinn Information)