Red Rocks Program Pans for ‘Gold-Collar’ Workers
Published Apr 16, 2006
Red Rocks Community College has started a new two-year curriculum called Process Technology primarily for the energy industry.
Everyone has heard of blue-collar and white-collar workers, but Jefferson County is hoping to attract gold-collar workers.
That’s a new term for young people who attend college to earn a two-year associate’s degree and then get hired at a job that starts at $35,000-$50,000 a year.
These types of jobs will soon be in abundance throughout Jefferson County, according to Cliff Richardson, president of Red Rocks Community College.
For that reason, Red Rocks has begun a two-year curriculum called Process Technology.
“We are responding to an initial inquiry from BP America, who came to us saying that they will need process operators for the energy industry boom predicted for Colorado and Wyoming,” Richardson says.
“Since BP, 13 additional area companies informed us that they were also looking for process operators, and not necessarily in the energy field,” he adds. “Companies such as Coors, Lakewood Brick and Nestle Purina are looking for those skilled process operators.”
Process operators are multiskilled, with the capacity to troubleshoot and maintain plant equipment, while ensuring quality control in a variety of manufacturing procedures.
“Here’s an amazing statistic: Within the next three years, we could place more than 3,000 Process Technology graduates at each of the 14 Jefferson County companies who have contacted us,” he continues.
“Even more amazing is that we could continue to provide each of those companies with 3,000 graduates every year for the next 15 years.”
Chuck Beck, a former engineer with Coors, was hired by Red Rocks to coordinate the program.
“The Process Technology program will prepare students for careers in chemical manufacturing, oil refining, gas extraction, carbonated beverage production, pharmaceutical manufacturing, semi-conductor manufacturing, electric power generation and alternative energy and water reclamation,” Beck says. “It is an exciting program for Jefferson County.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Stephen Cherry
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