NMCC to expand programs in the Valley

    MADAWASKA – Within the coming weeks, Northern Maine Community College will open a new off-campus center in the St. John Valley at Madawaska High School as the county-based College continues to expand its service to the northernmost part of Aroostook. As final preparations are made to open the center, NMCC campus leaders are turning to the local communities to hear what program and course offerings would best meet the needs of the region.     An important step in that process will take place Thursday, Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m. in the Madawaska High School Library, when College officials and representatives of the St. John Valley Adult and Community Education Collaborative host an open forum for business and community leaders. The purpose of the session is to hear directly from employers and others in the Valley about the current and anticipated future needs for education and training and to better learn how NMCC, in partnership with the adult education collaborative, can help ensure the region has a vibrant and viable workforce moving forward. NMCC President Tim Crowley is looking south at the success of NMCC’s off-campus center in Houlton, which is located in the Houlton Higher Education Center, as a model for development in the St. John Valley.
    A key development at the southern Aroostook site in recent years has been the delivery, via a combination of distance education technology and local course and clinical offerings, of NMCC’s associate degree nursing program. That initiative has been a joint partnership with Houlton Regional Hospital.
    A recent survey conducted by the St. John Valley Adult Education Collaborative amongst health care organizations in the Valley indicates a high need for associate degree nurses in the northern region. As a result, discussions between NMCC officials and area leaders in the health care and education community concerning possible delivery of the NMCC ADN program in the Valley are ongoing.
    Representatives from both NMCC and the Valley adult education centers will share the progress of this discussion with attendees at the Oct. 25 session.
    In addition to specific dialogue on the health care employment sector needs, NMCC and the Valley Adult and Community Education Collaborative co-hosted a College Info Night in Madawaska in August to hear from local residents about what courses and programs were of interest to them. The evening allowed attendees to discuss college offerings, financial aid opportunities, and non-credit options offered through the continuing education division, including the commercial truck driving academy.
    NMCC has also been involved in discussions at both the local and state level concerning training and other educational opportunities with Fraser Paper in the wake of the recent company downsizing. The College is prepared to work collaboratively with its sister campus, Kennebec Valley Community College, to deliver pulp and paper technology courses and curriculum as requested by the paper company. Representatives of businesses throughout the Valley and others interested in discussing the education and training needs the County’s Community College could deliver in the region are encouraged to attend the open forum. Refreshments will be served. For information, contact Jason Parent,  NMCC, 768-2808.