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National Grid and QCC Partnership Starts Great Careers for Students
October 2017
The recent partnership between Quinsigamond Community College and National Grid to offer a Natural Gas Technician Certificate Program was a huge success, culminating with all five students successfully completing the course and getting hired by National Grid.
“It was a great group of students to get this program started,” said Ed Donovan, northeast manager of National Grid.
The program served as an introduction into the gas industry and gave students an opportunity to learn about safe work practices and procedures, the properties of natural gas, the principals of gas construction, in addition to maintenance and customer service.
The 12-week certificate program included 72 hours of classroom time and 18 hours of hands-on training, in state-of-the-art laboratories and outdoor gas training simulation areas. The program was designed for people interested in seeking career opportunities within the natural gas industry.
Students who were hired after the program have an opportunity for a lifetime career, according to Mr. Donovan.
“At the end of three years, as long as they do well, they will automatically receive a higher rate and if they continue to progress, they will ultimately be able to go anywhere they want within the company,” he said.
The demand for new employees continues to rise as the potential for customer growth continues to grow exponentially, according to Northeast Gas Association.
“This was a highly successful program and we are planning to offer this certificate program again in the very near future,” said Kathleen Manning, dean of Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education.
These types of partnerships with area companies are not unique to QCC. The college’s Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education offers a variety of high quality training programs that enable individuals to learn new skills, which can be applied immediately to a current job, or utilized for future professional development.
To learn more visit the Workforce Development Website.
