In December, Pueblo Community College Southwest received a $429,140 Forestry and Wildfire Mitigation Workforce Development grant from the Colorado Commission on Higher Education.
When applying for the “very competitive grant,” PCC Executive Dean Lisa Snyder, Ph.D., said they sent a proposal letter to the commission to express the need for a fire mitigation program in Southwest Colorado.
“There was a very competitive process to apply for the grant,” Snyder told The Journal. “First, we put in a letter of intent to expand workforce development, development programming and create a forestry and wildfire mitigation workforce at Pueblo Community College Southwest.”
The 13-page proposal expressed the college’s desire to “establish a timber, forest health and wildfire mitigation program.”
“PCCSW seeks to provide rural southwestern Colorado residents with specialized workforce education in the forestry industry, equip them with the skills necessary to earn a sustainable income in this critical sector,” the proposal letter said.
In the letter, Snyder expressed the urgent need for a program of this kind in Southwest Colorado as the area “lacks adequate education programs tailored to these specific needs, despite the growing demand in the workforce,” noting that the urgency was also fueled by the “rise of frequency and intensity of wildfires in Colorado.”
PCC found out that they had been awarded the grant on Dec. 19, but the decision was approved at the Dec. 7 meeting of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education.
Currently, PCC offers a Wildland Fire Academy course at a three-credit microcredential and a Wildland Firefighter Mini Certificate (red card).
As a result of the grant award, PCC plans to expand its workforce development programming to include a 16-credit, financial aid-eligible Forestry and Wildland Fire Certificate for those in the area in partnership with Colorado State University Extension, Colorado State Forest Service and the Colorado Timber Industry Association.
In the proposed statement of work provided by Snyder, the purpose and intended benefits of the program are reducing the risk of wildfire in the area by “enhancing local capacity for wildland fire mitigation,” providing needed education and fire and forest management training, “contributing to the resilience of Southwest Colorado communities and enhancing forest management and wildfire mitigation efforts in the region” and creating job opportunities for those who graduate through the program by growing and maintaining industry partnerships.
Snyder also explained that students will be covered under Gov. Jared Polis’ Career Advance funding for free or a low cost while the funding lasts.
There is also no age limit to be part of the program. To take the red card exam, students must be 18 and older, but high school students and up are welcome to enroll in the program and take the courses.
This certificate will be followed up by an Advanced Forestry Certificate which will eventually offer an Associate of Science degree in forestry and natural resources to serve as a pathway to Colorado State University and other four-year colleges and universities, should the student wish to continue their education.
“The goal of this grant is really to start training people and give them an on-ramp into a career path so they can go to work, but so that students can stay in the area and further their education,” Snyder said. “We always want to provide our students with the opportunity to further their education, and that’s where our partners come in.”
Snyder, who authored the grant, Dean of the Division of Health Professions and Public Safety Dr. Andrew Miller, Academic Director Perry Pepper and Agriculture Program Coordinator Heather Houk will be in charge of implementing the grant and its subsequent programs.
The classes for the forestry and wildland fire certificate will begin in fall 2024, and class enrollment will begin in March.
Snyder noted that they are in the process of hiring a full-time forestry and natural resource faculty member to oversee the program. They will also be purchasing a “state-of-the-art” Harvest Simulator to help train students.
To further prepare for the program’s launch, Snyder said that PCC has set up an advisory board that is made up of members of the community, industry and higher education professionals to help “guide” the curriculum and provide input and advice.
The college will be holding a group of panels and other informational events to talk about what is going to be offered and provide more information on the program, with dates yet to be announced.
The school will receive $319,320 for 2023-2024 and $109,820 for 2024-2025. According to the award letter sent by the Commission’s Chief Student Success and Academic Affairs Officer Kim Poast, Ph.D., if there is any unspent funding, the funding can be rolled over, possibly even into the 2025-2026 school year, depending on the circumstance.
“This is a huge win for Southwest Colorado, and we are determined to provide the highest-quality forestry and wildfire mitigation training,” Snyder said.
More information regarding the grant and class enrollment, as well as any questions can be directed to Alyse Spencer at alyse.spencer@pueblocc.edu or by calling (970) 564-6225.
