Aug 10, 2016

A new Instrumentation Helper Program is free for students who qualify, thanks to the Department of Labor H-1B Ready to Work Grant.

Students must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or GED to be eligible for the grant, which covers all class tuition.

The Instrumentation Helper Program will train students in less than a year and teach the basics of the Instrumentation Trade.

Students will learn about installing, troubleshooting and repairing industrial and commercial instrumentation equipment and practice hands-on skills. 

Classes begin Sept. 6.

Participants who complete the program are ready for entry-level positions as instrumentation helpers, who work alongside instrumentation technicians. Graduates may find opportunities working with systems in facilities such as refineries, manufacturing plants, and electrical plants.

“Local employers are seeking employees with skills in the instrumentation field,” said Anett King, H-1B Ready To Work Project Manager. “All of our instructors in the program come from backgrounds within the local industry and offer not only vast knowledge and skills of the instrumentation trade but also connections to the labor market.”

The median hourly wage for instrumentation technicians is $25.04 with entry-level helper positions starting at $15.77 per hour, according to the CareerOneStop website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Courses follow the National Center for Construction Education and Research Instrumentation curriculum created by the NCCER non-for-profit educational foundation. The curriculum was developed as nationally recognized standard for the industry. Students will earn credentials for NCCER Core, Instrumentation Level 1 and Instrumentation Level 2.

“Students obtain a COM certificate and NCCER credentials that they can apply to a job anywhere in the U.S. They will be entered in a national database, the NCCER National Registry, used by recruiters and potential employers,” said King.

COM also began the Electrician Helper Program earlier this year to train students for another growing career within the Gulf Coast region.

For more information on the program or how to qualify, contact Chris Hollman at chollman1@com.edu or 409-933-8643.