On November 20, Great Bay Community College (GBCC) is hosting an open house that will help fill local workforce hiring needs through opportunities for education, training and career pathways in hands-on manufacturing and technical programs. The event at the Rochester campus, located at 5 Milton Road, will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. and is open to anyone interested in manufacturing and technical skills pathways, including businesses in need of workforce development opportunities.
“This Open House will highlight our manufacturing and technical programs for training and upskilling individuals and employers alike,” said Paul Giuliano, technical programs coordinator at GBCC. “These short-term, direct to career programs benefit individuals looking to start a new career as well as those in the field who are interested in advancing by enhancing their skills and knowledge. Businesses will benefit from learning about opportunities to train and upskill current and future employees through flexible, short-term workforce development programs that save time.”
With a reputation as a top-quality learning and training institution, GBCC offers courses, degree and short-term certificate programs in technical skills areas such as Manufacturing Fundamentals, Welding, Nondestructive Testing (NDT), Automotive Technology, and Motorcycle Maintenance and Repair. Technical jobs have a strong outlook and are in-demand in New Hampshire. Welding, specifically, is showing a projected 8% growth each year through 2030 and GBCC offers a one-year certificate program.
As one of two women in GBCC’s Welding Program, Ruby Murdock of Kittery, Maine encouraged others to explore this in-demand pathway. “I encourage more women to try out learning a skill in the trades,” she said. “It can open up lots of doors and you can accomplish things you never imagined doing.”
Earlier this year, GBCC launched four-week manufacturing training courses in Manufacturing Skills and Knowledge, Shop and Construction Math, Technical Blueprint Reading Fundaments and CNC Setup Operator Fundamentals. Courses will begin in January providing new opportunities for students to enter the manufacturing industry, which employs nearly 10 percent of the country’s labor force. In New Hampshire, it’s one of the state’s top employment sectors with over 66,000 competitive manufacturing jobs in more than 22 unique industries, including aerospace and defense, chemical, machinery, computer and electronics, and textiles.
“I wish those people on the fence about changing their career path were able to take some time to see how much better life could be if they took advantage of a manufacturing program,” said Jaime Stickles of Dover who is enrolled in GBCC’s CNC Program. “I tell everyone around me who is looking for a change about the CNC program. I wish more people knew about it and how life-changing it could be.”
The Rochester campus has a focus on short-term advanced manufacturing and hands-on technical programs that lead students to employment in high-demand fields while also serving local employers with short-term, customized training options that meet critical workforce needs. State-of-the-art labs are outfitted with the most up-to-date technology and equipment used in the industry preparing students for the industry.
Attendees at the Rochester Open House will learn about hands-on technical skills programs and career pathways, speak with experienced faculty and admissions counselors, receive information on the admissions process and financial aid opportunities and tour the campus, high-tech labs and the new Esports Arena. The Esports Arena launched in 2020 and includes 10 high performance esports gaming stations where student teams can compete with schools across the nation through the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) in games including Overwatch, Rocket League and Madden.
To register or for more information on the November 20 Rochester Open House, visit https://ccsnh.secure.force.com/events/targetX_eventsb__events#/esr?eid=a126R000008XyCvQAK
