The Trades & Technical Studies Pathway at LCCC equips students with skills necessary for a wide range of industry employment opportunities

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - At Laramie County Community College, students can pursue not only a traditional education, but they can also learn a trade. The Trades and Technical Studies Pathway provides the opportunity for students to do both.

“It is college, and it is busy and it takes a lot of work, but it is less about research papers and essays and more about hands on skills and training,” said Pathway Coordinator, Caleb Perriton.

The program allows students to experiment with a number of industries like automotive, electrical, auto body, diesel, welding, computer information systems, cybersecurity, and HVAC, as well as wind energy and plumbing.

Welding student, Tia Stephenson, said this pathway is ideal for those interested in learning how to express talent through a trade, but aren’t quite sure where their passion lies.

“Just looking at a piece of metal that was flat and had nothing on it, and taking what was in my brain and turning that piece of metal into something that was tangible and was an artistic rendering, it really showed to me that I was capable of so much more than what I had originally believed or thought, and to have faith in myself and confidence and to trust myself in my abilities,” said Stephenson.

Perriton said the priority of the program is to equip students with the necessary skills to enter the workforce.

“But the main thing is, we are trying to get our students ready to go to work,” Perriton said. “The trades, anywhere in the United States, is destitute for workers. They don’t just need warm bodies, they need people with skills. We focus primarily on giving them skills to get them employable, and we have had a pretty good track record of getting people to work.”

However, the program can cater to traditional or non-traditional students, like those who want a career change or want to master a new skill.

Stephenson says sampling the various courses is what helped her discover her welding talent, and the program allows for the flexibility of trial and error.

“Sometimes we have to fail in order to learn how to be better. That is what I have learned in welding, I have failed so many times but I have also come out on top and learned that I can in the end do it if I keep putting my mind to it, and keep putting my heart to it,” she said.

You can learn more about the Trades and Technical Studies Pathway on the website.

Copyright 2021 Wyoming News Now. All rights reserved.