On last Friday’s Up-Close Show, host Gary Daigneault spoke with Copper Mountain College President Darren Otten about CMC’s Construction Trades Program, a practical avenue for students seeking immediate local job placement after graduation.
One of the most important elements of a community college, Daigneault explained, is reacting to the needs of the community by providing programs in specific demand to the region. As a former small business owner, CMC President Darren Otten partnered with the local community college for a labor force to support his business. Now that he’s on the education side of the equation, Otten discussed CMC’s Construction Trades Program:
“I think the key is always gonna be critical mass and a pathway forward, for students to study a subject, then have an opportunity for local employment. Our latest perfect example of that is the Construction Trades Program that we built specifically from the need of local contractors who wanted to find reliable employees they could put to work with the skill set they were looking for, whether its framing, finished carpentry, plumbing, electrical, concrete—all those base level skills across the curriculum. It’s designed for s student to come in, get that base level experience, prove that they can show up and go to work, then go out to the trade and work for a business owner or contracting firm, then maybe come back to CMC and pick up a business degree and start their own contracting firm,” said Otten.
While it can be frustrating raising children or growing up where opportunities may be lacking, Daigneault mentioned sometimes families must leave in order to find that opportunity. But while CMC offers the Trade program, it offers the dual benefit for employers and employees to keep it local: “We can’t stress enough the opportunities for social and economic mobility that comes from investing in students that will ultimately stay and work here in our community,” said Otten.
