BHCC Launches New Gas Utility Technology Degree Option Program
Thursday, July 9, 2015
BHCC’s Computer Information Technology Department will offer a Gas Utility Technology degree option program to students beginning fall 2015. Part of the College’s effort to identify and close workforce gaps, the program will help produce qualified individuals to replace aging baby boomers scheduled to retire from the utility industry. Nearly 40 percent of the utility industry workforce will be eligible to retire in the next five years, while significant growth is forecasted for the Northeast’s natural gas infrastructure construction sector.
The College created the GUT program with industry collaborator Feeney Brothers Excavation, LLC, of Dorchester, Massachusetts. BHCC’s Curriculum Committee and the College Forum approved the program on May 5, 2015. Students will be accepted into the program each fall and trained for employment in the gas utility industry. Information Sessions will be held at BHCC and Feeney Brothers Excavation beginning July 9th. Dates and times are posted on BHCC's website.
The 62-credit, two-year program requires a minimum of four semesters to complete. It will prepare students through lectures, hands-on laboratory studies, paid winter intersession work experience, an eight-week paid summer internship and proctored testing by the Northeast Gas Association. Five of the six concentration courses will be offered at Feeney Brothers’ state-of-the-art, 13,000-square-foot training facility in Fields Corner, Dorchester. Students will earn $16 per hour during the winter intersession and summer internship, sufficient to cover tuition. For more information go to bhcc.mass.edu/programsofstudy/index.php and see Gas Utility Technology Degree Option.
Upon successful completion of this degree option, students will receive an associate in science degree and have the experience and qualifications required to launch a career in gas utility construction. Graduates of the program will have the opportunity to work at Feeney Brothers and begin careers with the chance of rapid advancement.
Established in 1988, Feeney Brothers is a diversified utility contractor with more than 450 employees operating throughout the Northeast. For more information go to feeneybrothers.com.
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About Bunker Hill Community College
Celebrating 50 years of excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is Massachusetts' largest community college, annually welcoming a diverse community of around 16,000 students. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC extends its reach across several locations in Greater Boston. BHCC is celebrated for its diversity, boasting a student body where 65% identify as people of color and more than half are women. The College also embraces a global perspective, with over 600 international students representing 90 countries and conversing in more than 65 languages. Our commitment to diversity is further reflected in BHCC's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).