Ep. 028 – Building Careers in Energy and Advanced Technologies with Nancy Clement

In this episode of Bridging the Bayou, Chancellor Kristine Strickland sits down with Nancy Clement, Dean of Energy and Advanced Technologies at Fletcher Technical Community College.

From unexpected career paths to the growing demand for skilled trades, Nancy shares her perspective on opportunity, workforce needs, and what it really takes to succeed in today’s job market.

Whether you're exploring your next step or just curious about the future of workforce training, this conversation offers insight into careers that are shaping our region.

ASE Education Foundation - https://www.aseeducationfoundation.org

Federal Aviation Administration - https://www.faa.gov

National Center for Construction Education and Research - https://www.nccer.org

Energy and Advanced Technologies - Fletcher.edu/E&AT

Follow Your Inspiration (corporate) - Music by ArtIssizm on Pixabay

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:03

Welcome to Bridging the Bayou, where we will explore what it means to work, live, and play in the Bayou region. Join us as we take a deeper dive into the people and experiences that make our region such a special place to live and work. On each podcast, we will talk to individuals who are making our region grow and go, who are making strides in uplifting our community. This year, Fletcher Technical Community College is celebrating its 75th anniversary, 75 years of changing lives. This is a podcast of Fletcher Technical Community College. Welcome back, bridging the Bayou, the podcast of Fletcher Technical Community College. I'm your host with the most, Chancellor Christine Strickland. And I am joined today by a superstar here at Fletcher, Nancy Claymore, who is the Dean of our Energy and Advanced Technologies Program. Nancy, welcome to the podcast. Thank you so much for joining us today, talking a little bit about all of the programs that are under your leadership.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

Happy to be here.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

Awesome. Well, I know you are probably aware that we love to get to know folks a little bit better. And especially for those who are watching and listening today, we want them to know who you are, especially if they're thinking about maybe enrolling in one of your programs. So uh let's get to know you a little bit better. Let's just start with an easy one.

SPEAKER_00 1:42

Something that maybe people don't know about you that you're good at. One thing kind of comes to mind, but I'm not sure I want to say it because I have a feeling you're gonna make me um demonstrate it. Okay. I'm pretty good at tongue twisters. Really? Yeah. I know it's silly. Seashells by the seashore kind of thing. Okay. I've been good at that since I was a kid. It's kind of my secret parlor game trick, you know, pull it out when I've maybe had a couple of glasses of wine and um dazzle people with my my tongue twisters.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Excellent. Well, we don't have wine here today, or at least I don't think they put any in our mugs, but that might have been helpful, huh? Yeah. Okay, just tell me, is there one that's your go-to?

SPEAKER_00 2:26

Yeah. Which give me the first So is the Baddie Betty Balder one in her butter?

SPEAKER_01 2:32

No, don't know that one, but I'm gonna Google it.

SPEAKER_00 2:35

I'll I'll do a little snip. Okay, do a little snippet. But um, so okay, Betty Bodder bought a bit of better butter, but she said the butter's bitter. If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter. But a bit of better butter, that would make my batter better. So she bought some better butter, better than her bitter butter, and she put it in her batter, and so t was Betty Butter's bitter butter better.

SPEAKER_01 2:54

Holy cow. Okay, let's hear for that. All right.

SPEAKER_00 2:59

Why? I have a few others. That's the longest one. And um, I don't know. I've just always been good at picking them up and memorizing them and spitting them out. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

That's an amazing talent. I'd imagine I know I couldn't do that. That just you just blew my mind. I thought that I knew, yeah, see, she I said, look, I can't even do it. Sally sails, she sails by the seashore. Correct. Can't even do it. So well, kudos to you.

SPEAKER_00 3:23

Secret talent.

SPEAKER_01 3:24

All right, secret talent. So if you woke up tomorrow and you could choose a completely different career path, what would you be doing? Okay, that one's easy for me.

SPEAKER_00 3:32

I've always um been fascinated with law enforcement, but specifically the like the FBI or the CIA. I feel like I would be good with a network of spies. And um I'm pretty detail oriented. So I think that would pay off. And I'd I like to get into the minds of um, I think helping to solve crimes and criminals. I'm just always been fascinated with that. And if I had to do it all over again, I think I think I would want to try that.

SPEAKER_01 4:02

Oh yeah, that is pretty cool. Yeah. Excellent. So what's one simple thing that makes any day better for you?

SPEAKER_00 4:11

I think, I mean, I do spend a good amount of time in the car because I commute, you know, to work. I live in Napoleonville, so it takes me at least about 30 minutes to get to one of our facilities, the closest one. So I think music, like just hearing a song that makes your day, you know, kind of turn it up, kind of helps you forget about maybe your stresses and you just sing along. So something simple like that.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

Awesome. Very good. I think we had another guest on who said the same thing that that music can really do it. So I thought this was gonna be a tough one, but maybe with the answer to your last question, it won't be quite as hard. But if your life was a movie, what song would be playing at the intro?

SPEAKER_00 4:51

I don't know why. Born on the bayou comes to mind because I am from, you know, I've grown up in Napoleonville, going on Lake Verette, and still try to go fishing and things like that. But I've I like all music, but I really do tend to gravitate towards country music. And there's a song, I don't know why it just speaks to me. Um I've always really liked it by Kenny Chesney. It's back where I come from because it reminds me of being from a small town and that sense of community. And even though it might just be a you know, a one red light town, I still have pride about it. So um I think that song kind of brings it all together for me. Has a special meaning. That's great.

SPEAKER_01 5:33

I love that, and I do love that song as well. That's a good one. That's a good choice. All right, so you are now having dinner with your younger self. What advice are you giving them?

SPEAKER_00 5:42

Probably what I still have to tell myself today is that sometimes it's okay to mess up, to make a mistake. I tend to be a perfectionist and nobody wants to fail, but sometimes the biggest opportunities or um chances at something have come from maybe something where I fell short and didn't, you know, and I was able to bounce back bigger and in a better way. So I think that it's okay to fail on some level as long as you pick yourself back up and do something, um, learn from it and and succeed. So I would tell her that because I still tell myself that.

SPEAKER_01 6:18

That's awesome. That's great advice. Thank you for sharing. Well, it was a pleasure to get to know you a little bit better. Thank you. Um, so let's talk a little bit about uh energy and advanced technologies. First, I want to start with though, when you were growing up, did you have this lifelong dream of becoming a dean of energy and advanced technologies? No. No.

SPEAKER_00 6:38

I can safely say that that was nowhere on my radar. Did I ever think that that was in the cards for me?

SPEAKER_01 6:45

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:45

But I still pinch myself sometimes and I'm like, how did I get here? I love it. Uh I love what I'm doing. Um, I feel real passionate about it. You know, I was been working for the college now for 11 years, and I started out in our business office, and someone um thought that maybe I should try my skill set in this role because we were searching for someone to lead this division. And six years later, I'm I'm still here. I think I've learned a lot. We've grown a lot. Definitely not something I ever saw myself doing or even knew that was an option out there, but um I love it. I really do. That's great.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

And look, I you know, I I ask that question a lot of our guests because I think it's really important for people who are out there listening and or watching to kind of hear that a lot of people who are leading within our community, they didn't set out to do that. Like this hasn't been a dream of yours since kindergarten that you've been striving to get. But but it's that life and opportunities happen maybe sometimes when you least expect it and that it's okay to pivot. For those who are out there who are watching, who are maybe thinking about another career or a career change or just doing something different, you know, maybe trying on the job that they always thought about doing, but um went in a different pathway that that that it's still possible, that anything's possible.

SPEAKER_00 8:03

Absolutely. Absolutely I agree with that. Because like I said, this was nowhere on my radar, but um I think for me personally, it's helped me grow. And I think what I most like about the position is that I am in the position to help our faculty and our students um to get our mission of delivering quality education and training to our community.

SPEAKER_01 8:25

Yeah. So let's talk. Um probably folks out there who don't really maybe understand what energy and advanced technologies is. So as Dean, you have oversight over some programs here at Fletcher. Um so tell us a little bit about what are those programs, what makes up that division?

SPEAKER_00 8:44

We have everything ranging from um agriculture technology all the way to welding, right? We have line worker, CDL, uh, HVAC, electrician, machine tool, marine diesel. I mean, it's a lot, but it's mostly in those industries with the hands-on work. And yeah, all of those programs fall within the energy and advanced technologies division. And especially our um energy production program is one of the staple programs in there. And we've kind of expanded that to include now instrumentation technology. So our location, we're so close to the um energy sector and and work with them daily. So a lot of our programs help support that.

SPEAKER_01 9:27

You know, the trades, um, I think you, and I would hope that you, if you disagree with me, please let me know, right? But but it seems to me like they are catching on, like catching fire. More and more people are interested in moving back toward the trades and and entering into fields like welding and HVAC and electrical. Um, I guess you're seeing that as well. And when you talk to students, like where is this interest coming from? Are they are they sharing that?

SPEAKER_00 9:55

Absolutely. I think maybe at one time there was a stigma about you know going into maybe a blue-collar trade, but I think it was maybe two years ago now, the Wall Street Journal published this article that really uh went viral about electricians and plumbers being the new millionaires. I think that people are realizing that there are tons of job opportunities out there. You can have a solid career making really good money doing these things, and they're always gonna be needed. The jobs may evolve, right? We're seeing all the technology advances in AI, but we're still gonna need somebody to come unclog our toilet. Like a robot can't do that. Um, and and we kind of saw that in COVID too. Like those were the first people allowed to go back to work. So it's just that job security, but not only that, knowing you can make not just a living wage, but a really good wage to support your family.

SPEAKER_01 10:54

Yeah. I mean, the reality is we live in South Louisiana, HVAC technicians, which are heating, ventilation, air conditioning um technicians, that's they aren't going anywhere. Right. Right. And um, no lie, I had to call a plumber out to the house the other day, and I just looked at my husband and said, I made a wrong career choice.

SPEAKER_00 11:13

Oh, yeah. I mean, I think they their going rate is close to$150 an hour just to strip to your house.

SPEAKER_01 11:20

So yeah, mine was that much for 20 minutes.

SPEAKER_00 11:23

Yeah, yeah. So I don't know, and I think that it's finally the stigma around that has kind of gone away, and now we see parents encouraging their sons and daughters to go into these fields.

SPEAKER_01 11:35

Yeah. And it really seems to me that um, you know, for so long we heard everyone needs to go, and the the the phrase was used was college. Um I know a lot of folks who are listening know how I feel about that, that we are college. Um, but really they were talking about the four-year university pathways. And look, there is absolutely a need for four-year programs and bachelor's degrees and continuing that knowledge journey. Um, but there's also um equally as important, right, those career pathways for people who not even the length of time, but that that really want to do more with their hands to be um more hands-on career pathways. I think of a friend of mine who came through our line worker program. Yeah, he had an MBA. Right. And he just came to us one day and said, I'm tired of sitting behind a computer. He always loved fixing things, always working on a car, always um taking things apart, putting them back together. And he said, I just don't want to sit at a desk. He could not be happy, thriving, building his first house, bought a piece of property, like all the things. And um, I think that just honoring and respecting what you want to do, what you're called to do in your life is really an important part of somebody's journey. And I think we do a really good job offering that.

SPEAKER_00 13:00

I agree. I think back in the day, you know, certain counselors or somebody might say, Oh, Lo Johnny, you're not college material, but they are college material. It just has to be the right college with the right program for them because not everybody is a good test taker, not everybody wants to read and learn from a book. There are people who want to, they're mechanically inclined, they want to work with their hands, and we're giving those folks the opportunity to um get the training they need to be successful.

SPEAKER_01 13:28

Desperately needed in the community as well. And I spent some time in a welding classroom. And look, those students were doing higher level math skills than I learned, and I've got a doctorate, right? So it is, you know, some of these trades, they do require that higher level critical thinking is super important. Like you are getting everything, but you're also getting that element of um of that mechanical right side that you talked about, which I think is so important.

unknown 13:57

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 13:58

So I know you work a lot with business and industry partners, and I'm just interested from what you hear from them. Um, everybody's talking about workforce. We need more people. We need, um, I think the saying is, you know, we need more people up off the bench in the workforce. So when you talk to employers, what what are they looking for? And then where do you think the disconnect is? Because I know we have people out there who are looking for work. Um, so maybe talk a little bit with us about what it looks like from the employer perspective.

SPEAKER_00 14:28

Yeah, I mean, we hear a lot from employers about the challenges that they're facing of finding workforce to meet their demands. And a lot of it is, and it's kind of it's the same thing from everybody, and it's simple. While yes, they need the technical skills, that's super important, obviously, but they need to have the soft skills, I guess, that we talk about. They have to show up to work on time, they have to be able to communicate with their supervisor and their co-workers, work on teams. Um, we kind of have a saying at Fletcher, you know, nobody wants to work with a competent jerk. You might be great at what you're doing, but you have to have some level of people skills to be successful. And um so I think we hear that a lot from employers that maybe students don't have the work ethic or the communication skills. So we've been trying to to beef some of that up in our classes and have our faculty kind of treat their classrooms as a job site and um get them to communicate like we know you have life outside of here, but don't just not show up to class today. Send me a message, let me know what's going on, just like you would your employer. Um, you wouldn't just not show up to work, you know. So it's little things like that. And then I think too, everybody's main concern is always safety. So we're always trying to instill a culture of safety that will follow them um outside of the classroom and the training lab.

SPEAKER_01 15:55

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. So one of the things um that we're really focused on here at Fletcher, and I know you are integral to all of this, is being responsive to the needs of our employers, standing up new programs when and where we can. I know recently you launched a heavy equipment operator program.

SPEAKER_00 16:16

Um, can you tell us a little bit about that? It's what's considered a non-credit uh VSL course validating skills and learning. It's not like our traditional college courses where you earn college credit to earn a certificate or a degree. You're earning an industry certification. Um, in this case, we use the national um curriculum. It's recognized nationally by NCCER. It's pretty well known. And um they learn, they train on a couple different pieces of equipment. They have to train on like a tractor, but we also get them training on a skid steer, um, a dozer, and a mini excavator so that they'll have some basic skills. It's a level one um certification that they'll end with. But yeah, and it's just a three-week course um that they can come and do and and get out and be prepared for an entry-level, you know, heavy equipment position somewhere out in this world. Great.

SPEAKER_01 17:12

So um one of the things you just mentioned that I'd like to just take a moment to talk about because I think uh for those who are out listening and watching and thinking about coming back to college, when we uh when you hear a c about college and going to college, oftentimes you think about, oh, I've got to get a degree. And certainly in our arena in the community college, a lot of times we're talking about an associate degree, two years, but we have other degree types. Um, we have what's called a technical diploma. Yes. And then we have something that you just mentioned, the industry-based credentials. Can you tell us um how what's a technical diploma? How is that different from an associate's degree? What's an industry-based credential? Sure. What do I get with that?

SPEAKER_00 17:53

So a technical diploma, okay, back it up one step. Okay. So we have the credit side and the non-credit side. So on the credit side, this is where you would think more of your traditional college career, right? So those students can earn um certificates, but kind of the culmination for the most of the majority of the programs in our division is the technical diploma. So that has to be a minimum of 45 credit hours, and it's in their technical field, right? They're not taking English and math. Um, it's incorporated into their classes, but they're not sitting in an algebra class. They're not sitting in a history class, right? They're focusing on those skills, those, you know, they'll take 45 credit hours of just automotive. And so, um, and that allows them to number one, finish and and get out to work faster. And then, but it also allows them if they want to continue their education, a lot of times companies, business, and industry will require you have an associate's level. So from there, you can easily take, I think there's five um general education classes, you know, the science and math and English that you can take, you know, while you're going through your 45 credit hours, or you can do it afterwards and you can easily earn an associate's of technical studies. So that would position you to have the the skills you need for that field, but then also some of the general education that they might look to to be a supervisor or to move up.

SPEAKER_01 19:27

So yeah. So in that case, if you're someone out there who has math phobia, yes. Right. And you think to get back into college, I'm gonna have to sit in college algebra, this is a really great pathway to go down where if you want to do that at some point, it's available to you, but it's not a stopper. It's not a showstopper in terms of you getting skills and training and being able to go to work.

SPEAKER_00 19:50

That's right. Yep. Awesome. And like you were saying about math and welding, they're doing math, they just don't realize they're doing it. And I think sometimes it takes that practical application, you know, where you're not solving for X and it makes more sense. And they're more familiar with it. And um, so they're still getting math skills. They just they just don't know it. We're hiding it.

SPEAKER_01 20:10

It's like when you hide your vegetables in your kids like macaroni and cheese. There's a theme going through that. Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 20:16

I'm on a macaroni and cheese kick. But um and then the industry-based certification. Those are so we have those embedded in our credit programs, but we also have them as standalone. Maybe that's what you're working to earn on the non-credit side of things. So that's usually um something that's recognized nationally. I mean, it could be like a CDL. You can go through our six-week course and we prepare you to be able to pass the CDL state examiners test that our instructors also administer. So that would be considered an industry-based credential because they now have the credential needed to go and work in that field, right? So an automotive, there's um ASC foundation that has a bunch of credentials and you know, brakes, HVAC, engine repair, and and and we have these throughout electrician, HVAC, um, line worker. They're all earning these credentials that you can put on a resume that, like I said, most of them are nationally recognized. So you can look up what is an NCCR level one heavy equipment operator, what are their skills? And an employer can easily see, oh, they can do these 10 things. That's what was taught in the curriculum. So it gives it um, I think some validation to what we're teaching that the students, because there's usually an exam involved, they have to pass something. It might be hands-on, it might be, you know, uh a written test, but there's there's validation to the training we're doing when we're able to issue those credentials to them.

SPEAKER_01 21:49

So along those lines, uh, you know, talk to me like I'm a prospective student over here. And we've talked throughout this podcast that one of the sort of greatest enemies of our students. And I know that especially in your division, there is a lot that folks can do where they're not committing two years of their life. They may not even be committing a semester, a 16-week. Um, so if if I'm working, right, I'm out there hustling and trying to make ends meet and supporting my family and paying my bills, but yet I want to go do something where I might may be able to make a career change, make a little more money. What would you recommend to me? What sh what do you have to offer me?

SPEAKER_00 22:31

Well, we have we have a lot to offer. Um, I think one of the first things we kind of looked at when I moved into the role is because we realize people have things going on in their life, right? They have work, they have family obligations. Um, so they need some flexibility and they also need, um, I guess, you know, they don't want to be in school for two, four years. So we did shorten the amount of time that it takes to complete most of the programs. We kind of looked at the schedules and um made some changes for efficiency there. We also were able to transition a few of our instructors to be able to teach for 12 months. So now the students, there are certain programs that you can come earn your whole technical diploma in just one year. Wow. And then we also have the um the short-term programs, like we were saying, that you won't earn that diploma, but you'll get the certificate, and those are short. And then we have also um expanded our offering of evening classes. And we're hoping to do more of that to um be able to meet people, you know, where they are, if they have to work all day. And then I think one thing our faculty does extremely well in our division is they do offer that level of flexibility, especially like I'm thinking of the energy production program. You know, he has students in that program who are working offshore. So he's able to put some of their assignments in Canvas online, they can complete them virtually. And then so when they're away for 14 days, they can do that work on the computer out there. And then when they come in, they're demonstrating their skills in the lab. And um, he's able to verify that they, you know, they've learned these things. So we see some of that. So I think the key is just being able to be flexible and you know, offer things um at night and and maybe even weekends. I think the challenge for us is finding instructors who are qualified because we need people who have been in the field and and know this stuff and are experts, but who are willing to um come and teach for us. And that might be in the night or, you know, during the night or on the weekend. And so it's sometimes finding those folks. And and I think when we do, they kind of realize it's it's yeah, it's a way for them to maybe make a little extra, extra money, but they're they're helping their field, their industry, right? I mean, it's one thing um if you get somebody to go to work there, but if you train 20 people, wow, you've made a huge impact. And I think that that's really satisfying um to know that you've impacted that many people and helped them, help them help their family, help their community.

SPEAKER_01 25:10

No, I would totally agree with that. I think that's that's um so true. I think what you and I see a lot of times with our faculty are people who worked in industry, worked in their field, love their craft, love their profession, um, but for whatever reason, maybe it is just it's time, maybe it's a new stage of life, empty nester, um, or even that, you know, sometimes the physical demands of the job, a lot of these uh trade uh areas, you work maybe you're working outside, maybe in the heat, climbing, right? You know, some physic physicality to it. Um, and so you're ready for that next, you know, version of yourself or next professional step. But what I love about it is what you said is that impacting the next generation of that field. So if you're an electrician, right, impacting the next generation of electricians in our community, and that's really impactful. And so I do want to just put a plug right now. Yes, because I know we're always looking for great faculty, right? Um, but if you're out there and you're listening and you have some expertise in any of these fields, maybe it's in the energy sector. I know we have a lot of folks in our community who work in oil and gas. Um, maybe you are an electrician or somebody who works air conditioning or a former automotive technician, and you're just maybe looking for a new career pathway. You can start out with us adjunct, right? Which means part-time um teaching. And, you know, a lot of times we do have full-time openings available, but it's a great way to give back to the profession that you love.

SPEAKER_00 26:45

Yeah. And we always call them um unicorns because sometimes we're searching for these folks that, you know, I mean, even industry is maybe having a hard time filling these roles, and they're probably maybe paying them more than than we might pay them. So we're kind of sometimes in competition, but I think that goes back to the saying or the what we were talking about, how they their impact will be much bigger than just them going to work, right? And so, but yeah, we're always looking for talented people. Uh, some of our best success stories have been guys who have retired and then realized, well, I'm not ready to sit home, but I don't want a full-time job, but I could come and teach this class for six or fourteen weeks or whatever it is, take a little break before we start the next um class. So yeah, we've had a lot of success with that.

SPEAKER_01 27:35

Yeah. And I know that is probably one of our biggest challenges in offering these programs is that these are unicorns. Yes. Um, so if you're a unicorn sitting out there listening or watching today, and you're thinking, I'm ready to get up off that couch and go impact future generations, uh, definitely give Dean Nancy a call for sure. Yeah. Well, let's talk a little bit about some new programs that are coming down the pike, right? So um I know we have some interesting things happening in Precision Ag. Yes. Uh, if you've driven past campus lately, you know that there is a very large structure going up right outside of the studio. Uh, and that will be housing Precision Ag and some other programs as well. And then I know we're also launching uh some aviation as well as kind of getting back into the maritime game. So is there anything you want to highlight about any of those? We have a lot going on.

SPEAKER_00 28:24

So we are we are starting the aviation maintenance technician program um at the HOMA Airport. We're working diligently to get that. There's a lot that has to be done um infrastructure-wise for the facility that we have to prepare. And also, I mean, most importantly, is we have to get approval from the FAA to um to offer this program. So we're working on that. Um, we have the Precision Ag building that's going up, and Precision Ag, Marine Diesel, Machine Tool Technology, Automotive. We'll all move into that building, and that's gonna be on our main campus in Shrever. We're super excited about that. It's gonna be a beautiful state-of-the-art building. Um, I really love working on our facilities projects. And I think one of the things I'm really excited and hopeful about for that particular facility is that we've already had some conversations with some other organizations that if we can get the equipment that we are hoping to be able to get in that facility, we'll be able to serve as a training ground for other um career and technical education faculty. And from what I understand, we don't really have a lot of those places in the in the south uh region. There's a lot in the Midwest, there's a lot out west towards California, but we would be one of those that could host, you know, other faculty coming to our location for training. So I think that that would be really cool. That would be. And then our Thibodeau campus, we're um, you know, in the beginning stages of working out some plans to expand that footprint over there. And so we're gonna um enlarge our parking lot because we're in desperate need of that and and you know, some restroom upgrades and stuff, but also expand our CDL backing pad, move some some things around where we're able to move our line worker program to Thibodeau since they're kind of offered in tandem with our CDL, we would like to start a plumbing um program. I think that would be enrolling it. Yes. And um and construction management. So I think once we have the additional infrastructure we need to offer those, um, we'll be looking to stand those up.

SPEAKER_01 30:31

Yeah, that's a lot of growth and a lot of opportunity. I know in my conversations around, for instance, the aviation uh program, um a lot of that was driven from the fact that business and industry was coming to us and saying that it's upwards of 90, 95% of the workforce that is servicing the major providers, right? Um thinking like companies like Bristow and PHI and some of the big helicopter companies and and others in this aviation sector, that the workforce is being brought in from out of state. Yeah. So these are great jobs that I'm so excited we're gonna be able to offer to our community, that you are gonna be able to live in Homa and head out to the Homa Terrabone Airport and have a great job, make a great wage, and um and retain some of those jobs for our folks here in the region. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 31:23

Yeah. And I didn't even talk about the maritime stuff that we're doing. So we've um kind of revitalized our campus down on Dixon Road. It's the Maritime and Safety Training Center. We've kind of re-rebranded it. We've partnered with MERS Safety to help us offer a lot of um training courses that, of course, are needed for anybody working offshore, but they also can be for anybody in industry, any plants or um machine factories or you know, safety classes. And then we're also partnering with San Jacinto Um College out of Texas to help us get some of our maritime stuff um back up and running. Because I know Fletcher used to do that before us.

SPEAKER_01 32:02

That's great. I want to talk just a minute because I know we've had some really fantastic success stories with some high school students. Um, I think specifically in our partnership with the Career Magnet Center down in Lockport. Um, can you maybe just highlight uh one of the student stories that kind of has maybe caught your attention?

SPEAKER_00 32:20

Sure. And we've had a couple of, you know, good success stories with them. Um there's a couple of welding students that come to mind. Uh they've just, you know, they kind of came to us and I feel like we almost adopted them. They kind of they help at everything. Anytime we need student help, they're the first ones to volunteer. They help out in the shop, they help with our summer camps. They come back and help the students um with the high school. But we're we're very we work very closely with CMC. Um, we're super proud of them. They started the first high school apprenticeship, and that was all spearheaded by Mr. Mike Duplantis with John Deere, who called. We met here at Fletcher. We were a part of the conversation. He called Business and Industry and the Career Magnet Center to say what success John Deere was having in the Midwest, like in Iowa and Ohio, and he wanted to see that replicated here at the high school, and they were able to stand that up. And we, you know, we were there to partner and help them along. We've recently met with the Career Magnet Center and the folks in Terreborn Parish, the career training center over there, and to make sure that our curriculum is aligned. So we got our faculty together with their counterparts, you know, and uh try to make sure everything's aligned and that those dual enrollment students are getting the best bang for their book, right? That we're they're getting the same education. They would get here and we're able to give them more credit um at Fletcher so that they can come here, finish their degree, and it, you know, won't take them quite as long.

SPEAKER_01 33:50

Yeah, and we've actually had a couple of students in those programs who've completed college level certificates, technical diplomas, even sometimes before they finish their high school diploma.

SPEAKER_00 34:02

Yes. Mind-blowing. So one of our um unique programs, I think, is our Marine Diesel program at the Career Magnet Center. We have a Fletcher instructor who's there teaching the high school students during the day, and they all have an opportunity through um the Jump Start Department of Education initiative that they have to attend over the summer, and they can kind of that gives them enough time to complete the technical diploma with us. So I think last graduation we had two students that actually walked on the stage with us. We've had another welding student or two that have walked on the stage with us at graduation. So the same year that they've walked in their high school graduation, they walked in the Fletcher graduation, which is really cool.

SPEAKER_01 34:47

Yeah. Pretty, pretty amazing. And thank you for doing that work. Um, thank you for taking the time to work with our K through 12 partners and doing that alignment so that students just continue to have all of these amazing opportunities for sure. Um, but K through 12 aren't our only partners. Um, I just want to take a moment to highlight some of the work that you're doing with our partners at Bollinger. I know we have a specialized program with them. Maybe you could talk a little bit about that. And uh new to us is the Will to Skill program. So I'd like to just touch on those for uh a moment. So, what can you tell us about the Bollinger Partnership?

SPEAKER_00 35:23

So the Bollinger Partnership, Bollinger's been a great partner to us. Um, we've been working with them for probably many, many, many years, but just in the last couple years, they kind of approached us about, hey, you know, we we see we need more workers short of workforce. So we want to hire them and then send them to you for that initial training. So I think maybe two years ago we did three or four cohorts of like just tack welders. It was a six-week course, but then more recently we're just starting our second cohort. We finished our first cohort in um July. They graduated. And so Monday, a new group of 12 students um came to Fletcher and they're gonna be taking the 14-week Shipfitter course that Bollinger was instrumental in creating the curriculum. So they they're telling us exactly what they want these students to learn. And then we have them for 14 weeks. We're purchasing um the gear and everything they need to get started. We have a grant that's helping us accomplish this right now. And so um, but they come to us for 14 weeks, they get visited by folks from Bollinger. They come and check in on them, they get to see what they're doing, um, you know, give them advice. Uh for the first cohort, we had a little graduation forum at Bollinger. We gave them some goodies and fed them some lunch. And yeah, now they're all working at either the home or the lockport location. Nice. And so, yeah, we're hoping to continue that. And honestly, I think that that is gonna be one of our solutions to solving these workforce needs is, you know, we're already working really close with business and industry, but our instructors aren't necessarily, especially our full-time instructors, aren't necessarily working in industry today. So it's important that we hear from them exactly what they need so we can deliver that training. So while we already work closely with them, I see that just increasing and creating more of these customized type trainings. And um I think that that's really gonna work well, and it seems to maybe be the answer to some of these challenging workforce issues, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:34

And what about uh the Wills of Skill program? I know that's a new one.

SPEAKER_00 37:37

So, yes, that's something we just started with Venture Global. Um, they've been amazing. They they kind of came to us and said, you know, we want to do something to give back to the community. And the way they wanted to do that wasn't just giving the college a donation or even a scholarship. They said we want to pay directly for X number of people to receive training, you know. So they're gonna be taking CDL. We're gonna train 12 students in CDL. They'll also get some um smaller certifications in CPR and Parkliff and Venture Global. There's no strings attached. There's no you have to come work for us after. We want you to have the training that will allow you to be successful in your community and support your family. So they've been great partners so far. We're looking forward to doing more of this with them. So thank you, Venture Global. Yeah, thank you, Venture Global and Bollinger. Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 38:30

Um, we have some really, really incredible business and industry partners, that's for sure. Uh, you mentioned one thing, and I'm just wondering if you can highlight uh so for the person who's listening and thinking about, again, career change or maybe upskilling, but they're concerned about funding. Um, like how am I gonna ever pay for this? You know, I I know that you have mentioned grants and some different things. Um, do you have suggestions for those people in terms of what funding might be available to them?

SPEAKER_00 38:58

I think that a lot of people think that, oh, it's so expensive. And it is because it, you know, it costs us to put on this training, but there are a lot of funding opportunities out there, and they may require you to submit some some paperwork, but um I think it's well worth it. So we are partners with um the American Job Centers, which is contracted through the Louisiana Workforce Commission. They have a location in Assumption Terrebonne and LaFouche Parish. The Lafouche Parish Office is actually at Fletcher's Thibodeau facility. So we work very closely with them. There are certain programs that are approved where they will pay the entire cost, the tuition, and they'll also buy you the gear and everything that you may need to come to the training and go out into the workforce. So that's through federal dollars. There's we owe it's the workforce investment opportunity act or something. So that's out there. Specifically for our state, we have the MJ Foster Promise Program, which also, if it's if the training falls into one of those high-wage, high demand categories, which most of the programs in our area do, you can apply for that and it'll cover the cost of your your tuition. And then the college itself is always has scholarship opportunities, and we've expanded those beyond the traditional credit students. We're also offering them to non-credit students, and I think too a lot of the local organizations that we hear about, you know, SCIA, big, they all offer scholarships. So it's out there. You you have to look, and if you're not sure where to look, come talk to us. Call us, we will help you find them because there is funding out there. You just you just have to be willing to uh to go after it.

SPEAKER_01 40:44

Yeah. So if you're listening, um look, don't let that be a hurdle. Right. Right? Reach out. Um we don't want that funding to be a non-starter where you just say, Oh, I can't, right? Pick up the phone, call us. I know you can email us. You can actually get online and chat with one of our enrollment counselors. They can walk you through all of the different funding options and what you might be eligible for and can help you get started for sure. So as we kind of wrap up, I'd like for you to just talk to us a little bit about. We've talked a lot about industry partnerships, talked a lot about our students. So, uh, industry partner who's out there listening and says, I want to get more involved. I want to sponsor some students, or I want to have a conversation with the faculty about what I need. Um, you're talking about that kind of aligned training. How do they get a hold of you? How do I find you after this podcast?

SPEAKER_00 41:40

Okay. Well, you can email me at nancy.claymore at fletcher.edu. Um, you can call me, 985-448-7915. Um, you can also reach out to any of our faculty or um Josie Clark, our associate dean. And we have a variety of ways that you can kind of be a partner to the college, right? It could be something as simple as coming to an advisory committee meeting. We have different um program advisory committee meetings that meet once or twice a year, or you could be more involved. Um, we're also always open for like lunch and learns, come and talk to the students. We bring the students on field trips. Uh so there's all those opportunities out there. There's opportunities to donate your resources, you know, for scholarships, but also we have a couple of really great folks that are helping us out just on a volunteer basis. They come in and they help because all of our equipment, you know, has to be maintained, especially like in our energy production program. That's we're mimicking what's out there offshore. So it's it's pretty expensive and it needs that expertise. So we have volunteers that come and help. So there's a variety of ways you can get involved. If you're not sure, um, just just call or email and we'd be happy to see how we can work with you.

SPEAKER_01 42:56

Yeah, and we also do in-kind as well. I know that there are uh some programs that have a heavy amount of consumables. I'm thinking welding in particular. So absolutely if they have what scrap metal or anything like that that can use that?

SPEAKER_00 43:11

Yes, we absolutely can use that. Um we hear from our um some of our partners all the time. We'll send our CDL trucks to go pick it up from you guys. So we're very, you know, we'll take anything we can get um as far as consumables, because like you said, it is expensive to run those programs. So any little bit helps and we can recognize that through our foundation.

SPEAKER_01 43:32

Fantastic. And if I'm a potential student or maybe the parent of a student, what advice do you have to give them if they're if they're interested in the traits?

SPEAKER_00 43:42

Just do it. Don't wait. I mean, you know, I think the advice would be to probably, if you're not sure, come visit the college, take a tour, um, book an appointment with a faculty member so you can hear more about it, see, come put your eyes on the equipment you'll be using if it's something. You don't know. Um, one of the things that we've had a lot of success with is our summer learning um trade experience. So it's basically a summer camp for high school students, and they get to come and just get a little taste of all of our programs. We kind of rotate them around, they'll spend half a day, you know, working at HBAC or half a day with machine tool, kind of doing an activity, learning more about it. We bring in business and industry partners who maybe have sponsored lunch to kind of tell them about what a career would be like at their company. Um, I was floored last year at our open house in Thibodeau in November. We had a student, he came in with his dad, and he knew from the summer camp that he was like, I want to be a welder and I want to go work at John Deere. And so I thought that was like pretty amazing. He got that from that weeklong camp. So I think it's just just do it. Come if you if you don't know, come ask. You know, visit us. Um, our faculty would be happy to talk to you and explain what you'd be getting into.

SPEAKER_01 45:03

So wonderful. Well, look, as we wrap it up, I always love to um try to find a little snippet or factoid about you. Uh, and I have a couple. Okay. I didn't have the tongue twister though, so you kind of gave that one to me right away. But um, so there is a joke that uh when we first developed this uh division, which energy and advanced technologies, if you're out there and you're putting it together, uh Nancy is the dean of Eat, although she will not let us call her that. Uh Eat and A T. E and A T. But funny enough, as the dean, I'm gonna I'm gonna play off of this for a minute, because as the dean of Eat, I was told that you have an award-winning recipe. Oh, God. Do you know what we're talking about? You were much younger. Much younger, from what I understand, when you won some sort of award.

SPEAKER_00 46:00

Oh, I was gonna say, is in my world famous queso? Because I'm really not a cook. So I'll put the queso in the crock pot with the, but anyway, so it's not that.

SPEAKER_01 46:08

Lord Rotel, you're a girl after my own heart.

SPEAKER_00 46:12

Yeah, yeah. I'm like, was this like first grade? Um, okay, I know where you're going with this. Yeah. So in first grade, um, our teacher, Miss Goodwin, Ms. Cheryl Goodwin, rest in peace, Ms. Cheryl. She used to add it was kind of a yearly activity she did around Thanksgiving. She'd ask you, you know, what you were eating for Thanksgiving and how would you cook it. So um I think my re I can still remember this. My recipe went something like, well, I'd bake the turkey, but first I'd have to buy it, and I'd get it from the banner store, which was my family's um grocery store in Napoleonville. So I was kind of plugging them back then. And then I don't know how many salesperson at heart. Yeah, right. Read the um The Advocate, the Baton Rouge Advocate, but she would always submit those recipes to Smiley Anders. And so he picked mine to read. And so it had the thing about the banner store, and it also had something about the dirty rice, and I'd feed it to my brother or something like that. And then we also, so a few of us were also selected to go on tune-in, which is like the morning show on channel two. And I was in first grade, and I had the biggest crush on Leo Honeycut. He was one of the uh one of the hosts, and so I ran to sit by him on the sofa and all. So um, yeah, so my little recipes got me to meet my crush when I was little.

SPEAKER_01 47:30

Look at you. That's amazing. Now, I also learned that grade school must have been really good for you. Ah, you must have had some great grade school teachers because I heard that there's a favorite book and that you can still repeat word for word the first page.

SPEAKER_00 47:47

I can. Yeah. Okay, let's hear it. What book is it? Uh it was Doolak the Cajun Cat Goes to Mardi Gras. Oh, all right. And it's almost about do like first grade must have been a um must have been a banner year for you. Because I think this was also first grade, and the illustrator of the book came to our school, and we, you know, he signed copies of our books and everything, and I guess I read the book, and I'm I I do love to read. So even way back then, and still to this day I know the whole first page of that book. Give us a sample. Why do I have to Okay? So um, I'm doulac, that Cajun cat, that Cajun cat from Down Doulac. So take a peek, because I'm unique. I'm a left paw girl who's a glad cat, a patty on the back cat. I don't break laws with these here paws, have claws as sharp as tacks. Whack. They make me look like a mischievous brat, but I'm a soft and left and Cajun cat. Oh, that's almost a tongue twister. Right?

SPEAKER_01 48:42

I know not why you can repeat that like that.

SPEAKER_00 48:45

You are just a lot of hidden talent. I can't remember what I ate yesterday, but I can remember that book from first grade.

SPEAKER_01 48:52

Look, we've had a number of guests on where we've talked about the impact teachers have made over the course of people's lifetimes, the things that you still remember, um, whether it's a song or a book or something like that, and the impact. And so uh I know that you get to work with some amazing instructors here at Fletcher every day, and they're doing that, right? Absolutely. They're giving back to students um that maybe they're not in first grade, right? But um they are teaching lessons that are gonna stay with these students a lifetime. And it's not just, I think going back to what you said earlier, not just about the skill trades, right? Like not about how to turn a wrench, right? Right, but the soft skills, the how to work with people, right, the how to be a great team member. And it's all of those things that I think our faculty pour into our students every day in the classroom, and and I know makes you proud to lead that division. It certainly makes me proud to uh lead this institution. So we're very, very fortunate to have not only the great group that you have working underneath you, but also having you here on our team. So thank you for all you do for us. I really appreciate that. And um, and thanks for coming on today and being a good sport and allowing us to get some tongue twisters out of you. Um, just wait till next convocation. You're in trouble. I know. Um, but I want to just say thank you to everybody who took time today out of I know your busy lives and your busy schedules to tune in to Bridging the Bayou, the podcast of Fletcher Technical Community College. And if you are interested in any of the various programs, I know we highlighted our energy and advanced technology programs here today and look, some really amazing opportunities in this division. So whether it's one of those programs or one of the other programs that we have here at Fletcher, please be sure to visit our website, reach out and connect with us, Fletcher.edu, www.fletcher.edu. You can get a lot more information about all the programs. Um, but as our dean mentioned today, pick up the phone, call us, send us an email, hop on to chat with our enrollment counselors, ask your questions, um, and we're gonna do our darndest to help you reach and achieve whatever your goals are professionally and personally. Um, and we will put all kinds of great information about your programs, about how to connect with us, but also we'll uh be sure to include some information about our programs with Bollinger, with Venture Global, uh, John Deere, all of the amazing things, programs, specialized programs we have going on here if you'd like more information on those as well. So be sure to check out the show notes. And as always, like and follow us wherever you get your podcasts. Till next time. Hope you all stay well and look forward to seeing you um together for the next episode of Bridging the Bayou. See you soon. Thank you for listening to Bridging the Bayou, the podcast of Fletcher Technical Community College. Be sure to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.