Thanks to training received just before the holidays, Sampson Community College will now be able to offer students enrolled in construction-based disciplines nationally recognized certifications from the National Center for Construction Education and Research.

NCCER is an education foundation created and developed with the support of more than 125 construction CEOs and various association and academic leaders who united to revolutionize training for the construction industry. Sharing the common goal of developing a safe and productive workforce, these companies created a standardized training and credentialing program for the industry

Barney Grady, Coordinator of Building & Industrial Programs at SCC, is excited about the move. “We have become certified as an institution and we are now in a position where we can afford our students certifications that are recognized around the nation. The next step is to get additional instructors certified within each trade program so each is individually certified to instruct per guidelines of the NCCER.”

Faculty members attend training to become NCCER accredited.

NCCER’s workforce development process of accreditation, instructor certification, standardized curriculum, registry, assessment and certification is a key component in the industry’s workforce development efforts. NCCER also drives multiple initiatives to enhance career development and recruitment efforts for the industry, primarily through its Build Your Future initiative. Build Your Future provides a collaborative grassroots approach to construction workforce forecasting and development that includes recruitment, training, placement, retention and image enhancement strategies.

Amanda Bradshaw, who serves as Dean of Workforce Development and Continuing Education at the college, says the distinction will have a huge positive impact on her department as well. “We plan to also use this certification for individual courses we offer that may not necessarily be part of a curriculum here but could benefit those who come to use seeking to enhance skills they already have or as part of our ongoing night academies.”

Currently, the Workforce Development and Continuing Education department is offering a night welding class and a night masonry class, both NCCER certified. To enroll in those courses, contact Katie Brown at kbrown@sampsoncc.edu or at 910.900.4055. To learn more about trade programs at the college, contact Grady at bgrady@sampsoncc.edu or at (910) 900-4118.