Black River Technical College Offers Training From Traditional To Unique

COLTIN WATSON

AGE: 18 EDUCATION: Senior, Vilonia Pathways Academy SNAPSHOT: Watson entered the program hoping to get a handle on his career. He plans to study construction management in the future.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO FOLLOW THE ACADEMY COURSE OF STUDY? I chose the academy so I could learn about jobs I am interested in. I was in some ag classes prior to this and I have a great-uncle who does electrical work, but before I started this program, I really didn’t know much about construction. I knew people had hammers and nails. I didn’t realize what went into each project.

HOW HAS THIS CURRICULUM HELPED YOU DETERMINE THE COURSE OF YOUR FUTURE? The academy focuses on what I want to do with my life. In traditional school, everyone is taught the same thing. Pathways Academy is centered around what I want to do and the career I want to pursue.

We go to job sites and visit with industry professionals and they help us see opportunities in the construction industry. This helps me because it gets me familiar with trades and all the options out there and helps me see exactly what I am interested in.

WHAT TECHNICAL SKILLS ARE YOU LEARNING OR HAVE LEARNED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM? Since starting the program, I have learned about BIM (building information modeling) and how to draw a house. I have learned about footings and concrete, electrical, and all that goes into a plan.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER KIDS AS FAR AS SKILLED CAREERS ARE CONCERNED? I would tell them to be open-minded about their future and give the Vilonia Pathways Academy a try. I want students to know the academy is there to benefit them; it focuses on their interests. From my experience, the program has done everything it can to help me know what I want to do and get me in contact with the people who can help me.

Virtually every two-year college offers some kind of technical training — after all, skilled careers are what most two-year schools were founded on. Black River Technical College in Pocahontas is no exception, offering a range of skilled training students can put to work in a variety of industries.

But, in addition to the usual courses on welding, web design and allied health careers, Black River also stands out by offering a gunsmithing course, starting in 2020. One of only six college-based gunsmithing curriculums in the country,

Black River is the only program in the U.S. to make law enforcement inclusion part of the coursework.

As a result, students are lining up for the training, which requires certain qualifications and a background check to be accepted into the program. The curriculum is derived from major gun manufacturers, including Choate Machine and

Tool, Remington, Sig Sauer and CZ-USA, by which students can attain an associate degree, technical certificate or certificate of proficiency.

Black River offers other high-quality training, for those seeking a more traditional skilled career. Of particular note is machine tool technology, where students acquire fundamental and manual skills in the setup and operation of engine lathes, milling machines, grinders and other industrial equipment. Graduates can apply their skills in the machine trade as apprentice tool-and-die makers or machinists.

Industrial maintenance is another popular option. The two-year program prepares workers by cross-training them in several areas of industrial applications, including classes that develop supervisory and leadership skills. Demand for these skills is particularly high; according to the Department of Labor, there were 1,100 such job in Arkansas in 2018 and that number is expected to grow 14% by 2028.

Visit blackrivertech.org to learn more.