To showcase its new forestry and wildland fire programs, as well as new simulator technology for those classes, Pueblo Community College recently invited those in the industry to an open house on its Mancos campus.
At 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9, about 20 people – mostly from the U.S. Forest Service – crowded into Room 101 to watch Laurel Smerch, the college’s coordinator of natural resources, and Greg Felsen, an accessible education specialist at CSU Extension, present on the program.
“Class is in session,” Felsen joked as the presentation began.
Smerch began by talking about a bill that passed in Colorado last May that created a $25 million scholarship program for high school graduates across the state pursuing “high-priority postsecondary pathways,” according to the bill.
To be eligible, students can be full- or part-time, and need not prove financial need. The definition of “pathway” is inclusive to many things, namely education and apprenticeships.
She said that in Colorado, 30 jobs open in the forest sector each year, and 480 open in firefighting. Therefore, forestry and wildland are considered “high-priority” pathways.
Simply put, students interested in Pueblo Community College’s forestry and wildland two-year certificate just might be eligible to pursue it for free, or at a subsidized rate.
There’s Career Advance Colorado, too, that’s essentially the same as the aforementioned bill, except at Pueblo Community College, it awards scholarships for students pursuing construction, early childhood education, firefighting, law enforcement and nursing – not forestry.
But, back to the program.
It’s a 17-credit certificate to streamline students entering the workforce in forestry, park service, land use, fire ecology and wildland firefighting sector, according to the presentation.
They’ll learn timber measurements, species identification, how to administer ecological surveys, logging practices and how to use a chain saw, she said.
They’ll also learn the basics of being on the front lines of wildfires and forest ecology.
The certificate is made up of three full semester forestry classes, two weeklong trainings – the wildland firefighter training and wildfire chain saws – and a choice of one of three electives: intro to environmental science, biology or a drone class.
Merch said students can take classes individually; they don’t have to be enrolled full-time, and can pick and choose which classes to take.
After the presentation and giving those in the room the chance to ask questions, Smerch shifted gears and demonstrated how to use the simulator at the back of the room.
The harvesting software was undergoing updates, but the construction one was up and going, so she selected “dump truck simulator” as those in the room craned their necks and moved chairs to watch.
The three flat screens lit up to display a construction scene, complete with cones and a shadow from the crane overhead.
Smerch practiced basic controls, like loading and unloading, and driving on a slope.
“Today was for learning about the development of the program and the upcoming classes,” Smerch told The Journal as people in the room took turns testing out the simulator.
On Dec. 2 to Dec. 6, there’s a Wildfire Chain Saws class, scheduled tactically so that students can harvest a tree for the holiday season.
In spring, there will be the first rounds of forestry classes, and the next wildland fire opportunity will be next summer, from June 2 to June 7.
“The greatest access point for rural students is community college,” said Felsen. “We need pathways into education that link to jobs.”
Looking ahead, though the program is developing at its Mancos campus, Pueblo Community College hopes to spread it to other campuses, too. It also hopes to draw in students from the Four Corners region and beyond to partake in the program and ultimately address the need for firefighters and foresters in the region.
With any questions on getting involved, reach out to Laurel Smerch at laurel.smerch@pueblocc.edu or Perry Pepper, the regional director of academic services at the college at Perry.Pepper@pueblocc.edu.
