Pellissippi State Community College is looking for a new site to meet the needs of its welder training program.
The college recently began soliciting proposals for a minimum of 1,680 square feet of space. About 1,200 square feet will be for training, and the rest will be for a classroom.
The proposed location may be in Blount or Knox County.
For more information about the request for proposals, contact John Clark, Pellissippi State director of Purchasing, at (865) 694-6601 or jclark@pstcc.edu.
Pellissippi State Community College’s enrollment for the fall semester is currently up 25 percent compared to this time last year, which could present some issues for students who haven’t yet registered or paid for their classes, according to college officials.
“Many of the classes we’re currently offering are already full,” said Anthony Wise, vice president of Learning. “We’ve begun adding additional sections of classes, but we’re reaching our limit in terms of space and faculty.”
Wise is encouraging students who have already registered to pay their tuition now in order to hold their classes. He also suggests that students do not wait until the deadline to register or they may not get the classes they desire.
The increase in students is not limited to Pellissippi State. Community colleges across Tennessee are reporting a flood of new and returning students looking to bolster their job prospects with degrees.
“The community colleges are absolutely booming. We’re hearing the technical centers are already at capacity as well,” said Richard Rhoda, executive director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. “The economy is down. It’s cause and effect.”
Pellissippi State introduced the Weekend Scholars this semester in anticipation of the crunch. Students who enroll in weekend classes will pay only half the usual cost of tuition.
For more information, visit Pellissippi State’s Web site at www.pstcc.edu or call (865) 694-6400
Pellissippi State Community College is looking for individuals to teach developmental courses in math, writing and reading for the fall semester. Qualified applicants must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in the discipline or a related field.
Positions are also available for adjunct faculty to teach art, college success, economics, English, math (especially statistics), sociology, Spanish and speech communications. These applicants must have a master’s degree with a minimum of 18 graduate hours in the subject field.
Applications are being accepted now. To apply, go to the Pellissippi State Web site at www.pstcc.edu/hr/employment. For more information, call Human Resources at (865) 694-6607.
Design, build and program a car in the span of four days? That’s what several students will be doing June 23-26 at the Engineering Summer Academy, a free event hosted by Pellissippi State Community College.
The course, which is for area high-schoolers, is meant to encourage students interested in engineering technology to explore the field in a hands-on setting. Participants will each be given materials for a robotic car. They will work in teams to design, build and program the cars to run on a track. On the last day of class, teams will select the best vehicles to enter in a classwide competition. Several prizes are available, and every participant takes home his or her completed project.
The Engineering Summer Academy introduces students to computer-aided drafting and mechanical, electrical and civil engineering skills. Pellissippi State offers not only an Associate of Applied Science degree in each of these technical fields but also a dual enrollment program through which high school students simultaneously earn high school and college credits.
The academy, whose enrollment is already at maximum capacity, takes place at the Pellissippi Campus on Hardin Valley Road. The public is invited to attend the “Battle of the ’Bots” on Friday the 26th at 12:30 p.m. in the Goins Building College Center.
For more information, call (865) 694-6483.
The public expects the people who handle its food in restaurants, schools, day-cares and hospitals to do their job correctly. The stakes are too high to expect any less. A cook who touches food with unwashed hands or a caterer who leaves an item on ice too long in an outdoor setting can pose a potentially life-threatening hazard.
That’s why Business and Community Services at Pellissippi State Community College offers ServSafe Food Safety. The eight-hour course meets the requirements for manager certification in the food service industry. Students who pass a timed, multiple-choice exam at the end of the class qualify for a ServSafe certificate valid for five years.
Kashi Farmer, food scientist and owner of White Glove Restaurant Solutions, is the instructor. She says that most of the enrollees are in restaurant management.
Although not required by the state, certification is mandated by many companies for their management team. Others benefiting from the class include those in food services in catering, education, hospitals and day-cares … in short, any employee or business owner who handles food to be consumed by others.
Upcoming course dates are June 22 or July 20. Hours for either session are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Participants must register 10 days before class begins, and enrollees are required to present a photo ID before taking the end-of-class exam. Classes are at the Pellissippi Campus on Hardin Valley Road.
To learn more or to register, visit www.pstcc.edu or call (865) 539-7167 or (865) 539-7166.
Pellissippi State Technical Community College will soon undergo a name change. The Tennessee Legislature voted May 21 to drop the word “Technical” from the college’s name. Governor Phil Bredesen signed it into law late last week.
The new name—Pellissippi State Community College—will go into effect July 1.
The same legislation eliminates the word “Technical” from Chattanooga State, Nashville State, Northeast State and Southwest Tennessee community colleges.
“Pellissippi State Community College better reflects who we are today than what we were 20 years ago,” said Pellissippi State President Allen Edwards. About 60 percent of Pellissippi State students enroll in College Transfer programs, which prepare them to continue their education at a four-year university.
Edwards, the college’s president since 1993, says that enrollment in Career/Technical programs—those that prepare students to enter the workforce directly after graduation—hasn’t changed dramatically, though interest in various programs has shifted over the years.
“What has changed dramatically is the growth in the number students taking liberal arts and college transfer course offerings. That’s where all of our growth has occurred,” said Edwards. “That’s why we moved from having a couple of thousand students to 8,700 students.”
The name change does not reflect a change in the college’s mission or indicate a reduction in technical programs, Edwards assures.
In fact, he says, Pellissippi State is exploring a number of additional Career/Technical programs.
A proposal also is under consideration to add a program that allows students to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing, then take the licensing exam to become a registered nurse. The goal is to begin offering nursing courses in fall 2010.
The economy may be in a slump, but drafting graduates from Pellissippi State Technical Community College are still in demand.
“I get phone calls all the time from businesses that want to hire our students,” said Joan Davis, associate professor of Computer Integrated Drafting and Design Technology. “Last semester, I had four jobs that couldn’t be filled because all the graduates were placed.
“We have a 100 percent job placement rate most semesters. When employers get our students, they get a good product. Our students are not going to need a lot of supervision.”
In Pellissippi State’s CIDD program, students learn basic drafting standards, integration of three-dimensional modeling with the design/manufacturing process and integration of modeling, imaging and animation as a communication and design tool.
CIDD students have the advantage of learning on the latest equipment. For example, they have access to the only 3D printer in the area. The time-consuming task of gluing together architectural models is a thing of the past.
“We just don’t have time to do that,” Davis said.
Thanks to a special licensing agreement, AutoCAD students also use the most up-to-date computer-aided drafting software around: AutoCAD, Inventor, Architectural Desktop, Revit Architecture.
Beyond the two-year degree, Pellissippi State students can build on their credentials by earning a certificate in Architectural, AutoCAD or Mechanical.
Jared Riddle graduated in CIDD a few years ago. He has since been employed at an area engineering and manufacturing corporation that paid for him to complete a four-year engineering degree.
“[Earning a CIDD degree at Pellissippi State] was an excellent stepping stone,” Riddle said. “It got my foot in the door.”
Davis points out that the CIDD program and certificates are not just for first-time students. They can also benefit people who already have been in the workforce and want to add new skills to their portfolio.
“Many times people realize that they need basic skills in computer-aided drafting that they didn’t get at other institutions,” Davis said.
For more information about earning a CIDD degree or certificate, visit pstcc.edu/departments/cidd or call (865) 694-6400.
Employees who earn a GED or high school diploma make approximately $8,200 more a year than those with less than a high school education.
The Adult Education Program at Pellissippi State Technical Community College offers free classes to prepare participants to take the GED test.
The classes, offered Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m., are for people ages 18 and over who want to earn a high school equivalency diploma. Individuals who are 17 years of age may participate with an attendance waiver from their high school.
The GED program uses small-group or individualized instruction, computer tutorials, videotapes and printed materials to help participants achieve their personal, educational and career goals.
In addition to the GED, we also offer classes to prepare you to take exams for a variety of employment and educational opportunities: the ASVAB to join the military, PRAXIS to become a teacher’s assistant, business/industry-required basic skills exams and college placement exams.
The Adult Education Program at Pellissippi State provides three main preparation sites in Knoxville–northeast, west and downtown–as well as day and evening hours to accommodate the scheduling needs of adults.
To register for GED classes or to learn more about our other test prep classes, please call (865) 539-7109.