CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County Career and Technology Center’s Joint Operating Committee approved the temporary closure of the Practical Nursing program’s Ridgway site due to a decline in student enrollment at its regular meeting Monday night.
Executive Director Lois Richards advised committee members that only nine students were enrolled at the Ridgway site. She indicated that it wasn’t enough to financially operate the program at the present time.
“There is no way that we can do it,” she said. However, she noted that there is currently a “big market” in the Clearfield area. She said she and Elsie Maurer, director of practical nursing, will establish a calendar for a part-time program in Clearfield.
Richards said they’ll be able to utilize the current instructors and possibly another from the Ridgway site. She said it will not require any additional hiring to create the part-time Clearfield program.
“We feel bad. It’s not the greatest thing for Ridgway. But it’s something we have to do. It’s only temporary. We could re-open it in a year,” Richards said.
Assistant Director William Carbone received the committee’s authorization to create a new program under the umbrella of the current truck driving training program. He said it will concentrate on the oil and gas industry. Tuition will be $5,300, he said.
In addition, Carbone received go-ahead to operate a six-week, plus two-day program in commercial driver training, which he said will also have an emphasis on the oil and gas industry.
Carbone notified the committee that there has been a recent demand, and numerous industry representatives have approached them for drivers. He said these representatives have requested approximately 100 to 150 drivers.
“There is definitely a demand out there,” he said.
The committee also approved for him to advertise for bids on a used tanker truck for the truck driver training program. They permitted the purchase of the same from the lowest bidder with monies from the Adult Education fund.
