Despite the big advantage qualified students get by securing high-quality plant jobs with local industry, the center has had trouble filling classes
The Satellite Center recently held a PTEC recruitment event in order to increase enrollment in the center’s two process technology classes, which give high school seniors college credit towards an associate’s degree in that field.
Overall, 42 students from Destrehan attended the event and a similar recruitment effort is scheduled for Hahnville students on Feb. 19. During the nearly three-hour event, current juniors were treated to demonstrations by PTEC’s industry sponsors, which include Dow, Monsanto, Motiva, Shell and Valero.
In addition, instructors were also on hand from the Louisiana Technical Colleges River Parishes branch, where many of the students who finish the Satellite Center program will complete their degree. In addition to learning about the PTEC classes, the recruits also received a goodie bag at the completion of the event with items donated by both the center and the industry sponsors.
Currently, the Satellite Center offers PTEC 1010, which is an introduction to process technology, and PTEC 2030, which teaches students about plant safety. PTECT 1010 is offered in the fall, while PTEC 2030 is taught in the spring. However, if the Satellite Center were able to get more students to enroll in the program, they would be able to offer PTEC courses in both the morning and the afternoon.
“It would be great if we could open up another session,” Susan Boudreaux, school-to-career counselor said. “We really want to get more quality students that are interested in the program.”
Not only were the industry representatives on hand to teach prospective students the basics of process technology, but current seniors in the classes were able to tell their peers all about the material they have learned so far.
“I was listening to some of the current students talk about the program to the recruits and I was really impressed at their knowledge,” Boudreaux said. “I was very proud of them.”
And while the current students were able to share their knowledge in the hopes of getting others to see just what all the excitement is about, the PTEC classes would not be possible without the support of the industry.
“They help us recruit, release individuals to serve as expert instructors, host field experiences and provide scholarships and financial support,” Boudreaux said. “The sponsors and the Satellite Center have one common goal, and that is to put out quality students.”
Since many in the industry are reaching retirement age, there is a need for plant operators, so the sponsors also have a lot at stake in the success of the program. Boudreaux says the sponsors jokingly told the recruits that if they become a part of the program, members of the industry will be fighting over them in the not too distant future.
Even though the program offers so much to high school seniors, the center has had trouble filling up the classes.
Boudreaux says that she thinks there are a number of reasons for the low enrollment. She believes that a lot of high school students don’t want to leave campus and some even have scheduling conflicts that get in the way of attending the program. While the center is working on ironing out those kinks, there is still the issue of parents.
“Honestly, a lot of parents don’t want kids to go to technical college and they instead encourage them to go to a four year institution,” Boudreaux said. “This is where the jobs are, and these are good jobs.”
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