FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 23, 2024
Fairmont, WV – Community members were provided a look inside several programs offered at Pierpont Community and Technical College during an Experience Pierpont Day on Friday, April 12.
Attendees traveled to Pierpont’s Advanced Technology Center, Caperton Center, Veterinary Technology Facility, and the R.C.B. National Aerospace Education Center for tours and to engage in immersive activities showcasing programs offered. The group worked with faculty on basic lessons in physical therapy practices, sheet metal fabrication and riveting, respiratory care, digital forensics, early childhood sensory development, hydraulic and pneumatic circuits, and more.
In a lunch and learn session led by Dr. Joni Gray, Director of the Pierpont College Academy and Transitional Education, attendees learned about affordable dual-credit opportunities available to high school students in Pierpont’s 13-county service region and beyond.
For Artie Gutierrez, a Rehabilitation Counselor with the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services (D.R.S.), the programs offered at Pierpont provide an opportunity to meet the challenges facing individuals with disabilities seeking career paths in the Mountain State.
“At the D.R.S., we support youth and adults with disabilities on their path to work and live independently by breaking down the barrier to employment for them,” said Gutierrez. “The challenges we face are centered on expediting their career goals and finding jobs that are needed in this area. We now know that Pierpont offers that opportunity for partnership.”
Toney Dickson, a representative from the Kelly Miller Center and NAACP in Bridgeport, was also in attendance for his first Experience Pierpont Day. “This experience did not disappoint me once,” said Dickson. “The education provided [at Pierpont] is essential to create a workforce that can respond to twenty-first-century challenges.”
The event was Pierpont’s second of the kind, with plans to continue throughout 2024.
“Our Experience Pierpont Day is a one-of-a-kind event,” said Pierpont Recruitment Specialist Diamond Brown. “Attendees can expect an exciting day of hands-on activities, networking with individuals from diverse backgrounds and industries, and valuable information about [Pierpont] and all the opportunities we offer.”
To view more photos from the event, click here.
If you are an individual, business, or organization interested in attending an Experience Pierpont Day, call (304) 367-4933.