Bevill State Community College in Jasper, AL recently announced that it has created a Facilities Maintenance Technology associate degree program to train facilities personnel. The program, which has 64-65 credits, provides students with a broad understanding of building systems and commercial/industrial maintenance skills and techniques.
The program includes classes in HVAC, welding, hydraulics and pneumatics, refrigeration, electrical controls, gas heating, numerical controls, industrial maintenance, commercial and industrial wiring, motor controls, basic CNC, and troubleshooting.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ employment predictions, the demand for facilities maintenance personnel is expected to grow by 13% through 2030. The median income for a facilities maintenance worker is about $57,000.
What works in Alabama may not work in Ann Arbor, so I looked at the current job postings for facilities maintenance personnel and found more than 100 current job openings with salaries as high as $30 per hour. This is an example of the kind of high-wage, high-demand jobs I think WCC should focus on.
Facilities maintenance technicians with a broad range of skills are in high demand. These positions offer a salary range that is sufficient to enable these workers to remain in Washtenaw County and have broad appeal to a wide range of employers, from companies like DTE and the University of Michigan to property management firms, private business, and hotels. Some of the current listings even offer signing bonuses to successful applicants.
Better still, this is the type of program that requires less development work because WCC already has established departments in the major program components. Someone would probably need to develop some courses that are specific to facilities management. This program would meet a workforce need that is both immediate and long-term.
Facilities maintenance is a high-wage, high-demand field
Ten high-wage, high-demand programs offered in an accelerated format could attract hundreds of new students each year – maybe more. These jobs also offer the kind of salary that Washtenaw County residents need in order to remain here.
Further, skill-based jobs like this are more likely to remain relevant for years. That’s also important because it gives students the right mixture of skills and a high degree of mobility within a number of related sectors.
Offering this program in an accelerated format would enable students to complete a degree program and enter the workforce within perhaps 12 to 18 months. Even better for both the students and employers who need trained maintenance personnel. As an added bonus for the students, a program like this would also open up additional options to enter skilled trade programs.
Photo Credit: speric, via Flickr
