FAIRMONT — Individuals looking to pursue a career in manufacturing, oil and gas, and energy systems operations are invited to attend an open house this week at Pierpont Community and Technical College.
Officials from the College’s Applied Process Technology Program will be on hand Thursday, August 15 from 2-4 p.m.to answer questions about the program. The event is scheduled to be held at Pierpont’s Advanced Technology Center in the I-79 High Tech Park in Fairmont.
Guests can tour the facilities, take part in a live demonstration and learn more about the program. APT faculty also will be available to discuss job opportunities in the field.
Pierpont’s two-year APT Program allows students to select from concentrations in energy systems operations and process technology instrumentation. Students gain knowledge in electrical circuits and machinery, mechanical fundamentals, hydraulics, pneumatics, components fundamentals and more.
The Applied Process Technology program is designed to meet the needs of local and regional power producers, natural gas midstream and related industry operations, chemical operators and manufacturing facilities. The program covers a broad range of technology including electrical circuits and machinery, mechanical fundamentals, hydraulics, pneumatics, process systems and components fundamentals, plant operations and instrumentation and controls.
Students progress through a set of core general education and technical courses and will select between two career paths — Energy Systems Operations and Instrumentation/Controls — that cover skills unique to each area.
Average starting salary within this sector is $40,000-$60,000 per year. With seniority, graduates can make around $100,000 per year, according to data provided by the College.
Companies operating in the state of West Virginia employ nearly 100,000 people in energy and manufacturing.
Students are trained to become experienced technicians and understand industry equipment and processes that are useful in many industries from chemical production with pharmaceuticals, to advanced manufacturing, to the oil and gas/power production industry.