BRTC’s Career and Technical Center Students are Gaining Knowledge and Acquiring Skills

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BRTC CTC Students

POCAHONTAS, AR. Oct. 20–Black River Technical College’s Career and Technical Center students, high school juniors and seniors attending BRTC to earn a technical certificate or certificate of proficiency, are gaining knowledge and learning new skills to prepare to enter the workforce.

Darenda Kersey, Director of Career, Technical, and Concurrent Education, and the instructors in the CTC programs have planned several educational activities for the students based on the program in which they are enrolled.

On Friday, September 25th, the CTC CNA students practiced their skills on each other via role playing. This took the place of their clinical since they were not allowed in the facility due to COVID-19.

Kary Story, Product Manager for GNC, spoke to the Pocahontas Technical CTC students. He shared information about the company, located in Pocahontas, that manufactures spray rigs and discussed the welding and machinist positions available within the company.

Scott Maxwell, Employee Relations Manager, and Jeremy Dogan, Quality Control Manager, from Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company visited with the Paragould Technical CTC students recently about the opportunities available within their manufacturing facility in Paragould.

The CTC Auto Collision students have been hard at work the past few weeks learning how to perform a paint blend on a fender for the paint matching portion of their coursework.

Then on Friday, October 2nd, Joe Spinks, Skilled Trades Supervisor at Tenneco/Monroe visited with the Paragould Technical CTC students about the importance of electrical safety and how robotics is starting to be implemented within the plant.

At the Pocahontas location, the Allied Health CTC students heard about various healthcare degree options available at BRTC. Ramonda Housh, Dean of Nursing & Allied Health, spoke about the LPN and RN programs, Jason Linam, Director of Respiratory Care, spoke about the respiratory program while Matt Smith, Paramedic Program Director, discussed the EMT/Paramedic program.

For more information about BRTC’s Career and Technical Center, contact Darenda Kersey at 870-248-4000 ext. 4184 or darenda.kersey@blackrivertech.edu or visit the website.