Technical Education in NV?

IMT Student Response to:

Student responses to the question:
Author: Charley Dickinson Date: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 19:44
Why is a quality technical education so important in today's marketplace? How did you decide to use TMCC as a place to get your training? What would be your reaction if the technical training you are now receiving were no longer available in this area?

Date: Monday, January 31, 2005 13:21
We live in a hi-tech world, we need people qualified to run and up keep our equipment and facilities. I worked in the maintenance department for four months, and could not stay in my job without becoming a student worker. So I figured I might as well get an education and learn the trade while I’m young so I could serve a career. If this training were not available to me I would not be happy about it. I would wonder who made the decision and why they did.

Date: Tuesday, February 1, 2005 14:31
As technology advances machines are taking over some tasks that
technician might have done in the past but there are still jobs that require a real person to do them. I chose tmcc because i heard it has good industrial classes, and wanted to further my education. if tmcc's industrial classes were unavailable I would probably working some dead end job.

Date: Friday, February 4, 2005 11:43
A technical education is important today because everything is run by computers. The more technical expertise one has, the better one's employment opportunities. TMCC has an excellent regional reputation for training technicians. If the technical training offered at TMCC were no longer available I would have to major in pre-engineering or accounting.

Date: Monday, February 7, 2005 19:58
I think that a technical education is important because everything is changing so fast and becoming so much more complex. so in order to stay on top of what is changing you need to have a good education. I chose to attend TMCC because it has a great program with lots of great tool and new things to experience. If it wasn’t for TMCC I would not have the knowledge I have and I would not have such a great job. Without TMCC I would not have the opportunity to learn all the new things there are to learn and I would be so far behind in life.

Date: Monday, February 14, 2005 21:32
As with the increasing sophisticated technology, the equipment systems increase in their multi-level user control and programming methods. Without the availability of qualified technicians, the systems would eventually fail. With courses such as this one and the many others offered by TMCC and other institutions, the ability to properly and timely diagnose and repair problems benefit all in the community. Without the quality of instruction the quantity of qualified technicians would decrease, overburdening the workforce. Discontinuing such programs would be a major loss to all.

Date: Sunday, January 30, 2005 6:19pm
Quality technical education is ESSENTIAL to today’s marketplace because it provides the technicians with the "tools" that it takes to be a productive employee in a ever growing technologically advanced industry. Having the knowledge of how systems work and why they do what the do is crucial to becoming a skilled technician. I chose TMCC for my training simply cause it's the closest school and the only quality training center in the area. If this training wasn't available any longer in the area it would be detrimental to the local industries that utilize these skills in their employees. The labor force would be less qualified for positions, creating problems finding employment and it would create problems for the employers in that they would have fewer resources to find qualified employees.

Date: Monday, January 31, 2005 7:04pm
We can no longer rely on just basic skills to get us by in today’s world. There are
certainly more complex integrated systems today that incorporate computer controlled equipment with and a host of other newer technologies.
Having the technical education to confidently work on these systems is
important in achieving gainful employment. Knowing the rules, codes, regulations and best practices will assure a well rounded, educated person can do their job. Employers are looking for people who need little training and can do their jobs safely, by the code, in a timely matter.
With the dwindling manufacturing and industrial markets in this country,
competition for higher paying technical jobs will only increase in the foreseeable future. Having a good quality education can only enhance ones opportunities in an ever-changing job market.
My general manager recommended TMCC to me shortly after I transferred to the Reno area. He has had contacts with the schools administration and staff members over the years and given them positive marks. I have also talked with several co-workers who are attending or have attended the school in the past. They also have given TMCC high marks and have had mostly positive experiences at school. The classes offered and the times are convenient for me to attend while working full time. I believe the types on technical classes available are applicable to help me in my everyday work.
I have attended a fair number of community colleges and many seminars
over the last 25 years. The institute and education is only as good as its teachers. I’m drawn to learn more from teachers who have been in industry over the years and bring back to the classroom real world examples and experience.
In the past I have inquired about on-line training for the maintenance people who work for me. However, the cost is substantially higher than attending a community college like TMCC. From a company standpoint it would be a burden particularly on small businesses if education cost increase. Thus halting the technical background for the company’s competitive edge and hindering opportunities for their employees. In the same manner convenience and cost would certainly factor in if I had a child that wanted to attend a technical school. If TMCC were not available it would certainly be a hardship on most working class families to send their children elsewhere.

Date:
The reason I came to TMCC for there technical programs is Idaho State University was a little to expensive for me. I was paying 5,000 a semester even with the WUE scholarship and I was only taking welding classes. Another reason was I couldn’t fight fire for a full season going to ISU because they had pipe in the fall semester and Tig in the spring semester. At TMCC I am able to fight fire and pick up my welding classes in the Spring. If TMCC tech programs were to disappear I would probably move back to Elko and go through GBC welding program.

Author: Charley Dickinson Date: Wednesday, February 9, 2005 17:08
As compared to other training you have had in the past, how do you rate the training and facilities here at Edison (be specific, what did you like, what did you dislike)? If the technical training you are now receiving were no longer available in this area (courses cancelled, program dropped), how "vocal" would you be ("oh well, just another unneeded program"... through... writing letters to Congressmen, media, etc.)

Date: Thursday, March 3, 2005 14:40
I have been very pleased with the training, instructors, and facilities at the Edison site. Although I get the feeling that you could do great things with a little larger budget, the resources have been present to get the job done and provide a good educational experience.
I believe that the loss of either the Industrial Maintenance or the Electronics Technology programs would be a significant blow to the community. It is often said that this area's economy needs to diversify beyond gaming to provide stable, long term job growth. I know of a number of local companies that have moved here from California, and they depend on classes here at Edison to upgrade the skills of their workers.
As a large number of electricians and technicians in the 'baby boomer' group begin to retire, the lack of skilled qualified workers is already being felt. Even though many manufacturing jobs are being lost to Asia, the work of a technician must be done on site. So there will continue to be a very strong demand for technicians to program, troubleshoot, install, and service electronic systems in industry.
I realize that the programs here are under threat of reduction or elimination, and believe this is very unwise. There is nowhere else in this area where similar high-quality education can be obtained. Most of the students in the programs here work in the area and have families, so relocating to attend school is not an option.
A focus on effective marketing of the Edison programs could make a large difference, in my opinion. There are employers and workers in our community who don't even know the programs here exist, or don't know what is offered that they could benefit from. Even TMCC counselors appear to be very poorly informed about the programs at Edison, based on comments from a number of very credible students.
Employers in this community are having trouble filling jobs that pay $30/hour or more, and the very skills needed for these jobs are being taught right here at Edison. There appears to be a disconnect between making students aware of the opportunities, and working with the employers. The results of solving this issue could be dramatic.
I have written to the TMCC President and VP of Academic Affairs, with copies to the Governor. The replies sound nice, but seem to paint a different picture that what I actually observe at Edison.

Date:
I am writing this letter to express my feelings about the needed training at a facility like TMCC - Edison College. There seems to be a growing concern lately about whether this is needed or not. I feel strongly that it is needed more now than ever.
My 20+ years as a facility technician began in my senior year of high school, and as a graduate from a 2 year vocational school in New York State in the building trades. In these 20 years, I have taken many night school classes to keep up with the ever changing demands that this field encounters.
Having relocated to Reno six years ago, I have kept up with my continuing education at Edison TMCC. The courses I have taken there are excellent, and I feel with any career, trade or occupation , even though you have a Certificate or Degree you need a place to challenge your abilities, compare and trade ideas, and keep up with others in the ever changing market. Yes, there are independent courses available that I have taken but they do not seem to fill the needs of an area as a local school can.
Hopefully, with this letter you will see the needs from the community and keep the continuing education programs available to the public.

Date: Monday, February 7, 2005 4:04pm
I hope that someone important reads this!
All of the technical training that I have received has either been on the job training or from TMCC. I have been a student at TMCC since I was junior in high school. The first course. the first courses that i took was building trades. When I graduated from high school I got a job working for Gurr's Roofing Heating and Sheet metal. On the job I was already ahead of the game for a young apprentice. During the four semesters that I spent in the Building trades program, other high school students like me built two, two bed two bath homes complete ready for the real estate market and they sell fast because they are quality built homes as a result of instructors who are skilled professionals in their field. Also, don’t forget all of the dedicated students like me who need trades to make a living. You also shouldn't forget that we are the people who build your homes,
and fix them. TMCC is home to many other technical trades that our economy relies on every day, automotive, welding, Industrial Maintenance, I could go on and on. The question you need to ask is how much do you need to train us. Or we could be un-trained and then we would be sure to do it nice because we would do it twice or you could do it your self. I also have taken five semester of welding and I have a certification to show for it translation $. Now I am currently in my third semester of Industrial Maintenance, and I won't be happy if some smart guy cancels my program. Trades are a large potion of my studies but I also study the basics; English, mathematics’, and sciences. To answer
your last question I would search elsewhere for the training required to do the job right not twice.

Date: Wednesday, April 6, 2005 9:08pm
This is mi first technical course in this country and my own thinking is, this course is very good. Sometimes when I don't understand something, the teacher explains it several ways so I can learn and understand the class. I don't understand why this course is no longer available.
TMCC's decision to remove this course may affect many people. It is my understanding that TMCC's main purpose is to teach and to help the development of the people and by cutting any course such as this may not be in everybody's best of interest. I would appreciate it very much if you would reconsider making this decision.

Date:
The TMCC technical trades department was once a star in the school’s offerings to prospective students. These programs were actively promoted and supported to attract a student pool large enough to support a growing program. What happened?
In the 1980s and early 1990s the focus of the Community College was two fold. Academic preparation for students advancing to the University and a technical education programs for the trades and service industries. Each program had several instructors who brought applied theoretical and field experience to their respective programs. This technical excellence made graduates of these programs highly desired by local employers.
Beginning in the late 1990s the programs began to change. These changes included program and staff cutbacks and a focus on the pure academia of college bound students. The recruitment of new students toward this new focus further reduced the student populations within the technical programs. Hence today, the programs are typically centered around a single core instructor and struggling to get enough students to run a quality program.
If the Community College decides to drop these programs; I believe there would be a backlash from students, alumni, the local and federal government, and local industries. These groups would demand reinstatement of these or equivalent programs. The local governments have been pushing for diversification of the local economy using high technology. The question is: where will the technicians and machinists come from if there is no program to train the required workforce in the Reno area?
Hopefully TMCC will see the light and properly support and promote these necessary programs.

posted by cl @ 10:48 PM