A community came together, and in the coming months a building will begin to take shape, in what is now an empty field.

The builders will lay the foundation, and we can watch as each day the dream grows.

The River Parishes communities of St. John, St. Charles and St. James came together. Business, industry, government, Chamber of Commerce and citizens all rallied together and the CENTER FOR ADVANCEMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION & PTEC has come to fruition.

Classrooms will offer in-demand academic and training programs in a state-of-the-art industry endorsed facility — classrooms filled with tomorrow’s workforce. It will be a place of higher learning that will impact local families by the over $10 million — that employees will earn every year. Those dollars will directly impact the local economy.

Long after those responsible for working to make this a reality, generations of local residents will come here to train for those jobs.

With the current projected growth of industry and for years to come, this facility will educate the high-demand workforce of local residents for generations.

This 26,000 square foot facility will provide the training for 750 students and offer programs such as Process Technology, Industrial Instrumentation, Industrial Maintenance and Business Office Administration, as well as general education courses and developmental instruction labs and classrooms.

Construction is expected to be completed in the summer of 2016.

July is here and with it the end of summer will soon follow. Final vacations and getaways lead to the new Fall Semester at South Central Louisiana Technical College.

If you have been thinking of changing your career or, perhaps, gaining new certifications to enhance your present one, now is your time. Come by and see what we have to offer in the way of evening, blended and online classes that are work-schedule friendly.

Registration has begun for the fall semester, and classes are filling fast. It’s not too late to see what your future could be with the right training. Our instructors hold credentials and actual work experience that make the difference in our programs.

Our relationships with business and industry highlight your opportunity for the optimum prospect at a successful future. Internships and work study programs offer the actual work experience employers seek in new hires.

For additional information on air conditioning/heating, contact Terry Carmouche at 985-536-4418, ext. 222; for business administration, contact Penelope Freeman at 985-536-4418 ext.224; for welding, contact Earl Dominique at 985-536-4418 ext. 226; for patient care technician, contact Jaime Falgout 985-536-4418 ext. 251; and to apply online or for additional information on all programs, visit scl.edu.

Penelope Freeman is Business Administration Department Head for South Central Louisiana Technical College, she is at the Reserve Campus. Email her at
penelopefreeman@scl.edu