Dec 03, 2024  
2024-2025 Catalog and Handbook 
  
2024-2025 Catalog and Handbook

Workforce Solutions



Mountain Empire Community College’s Center for Workforce Development provides state-of-the art workforce training and services to individuals, businesses, industries, and government agencies. As an active member of the community, the Workforce Solutions collaborates with regional employers on an ongoing basis to maintain a competitive workforce in today’s global economy.

To support the goals of business and industry, the Center provides customized job training offered at MECC or the client’s site, as well as open enrollment courses for professional and personal development. Credit, non-credit, and distance education courses promote life-long learning and economic development in the Southwest Virginia Region.

The Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) located at Mountain Empire Community College offers free business consulting, affordable training courses, personal referrals to local resources, guidance, insights, and connections to help businesses succeed.

Many community and continuing education programs are provided in response to the needs and interests of individuals or organizations within the service region. The Center cooperates with public agencies, civic groups, community organizations, business and industry, and other educational institutions to provide educational services for a greater number of people. Individuals in need of Continuing Education Units or CEUs will find a wide of variety of options available through the Center. Basic types of programming are offered: customized training, job skill assessments, continuing education/lifelong learning, quick-start training, seminars, and a variety of on-going training institutes.

Customized Training

Workforce Solutions designs timely, customized training programs to address the ever-changing opportunities and challenges faced by employers. Based on results of Training Needs Assessments, we design and implement Custom Training Programs to update and improve the skills of your workforce, increase employee engagement, improve company performance and help you achieve organizational goals. Our training can be brought to your work site or you can bring your employees to our training facilities.

Customized training focuses on skills that improve:

  • organizational productivity (team building, management and leadership, coaching, or lean manufacturing);
  • individual productivity (time management, managing stress, communication, or customer service);
  • computer skills (Microsoft Office suite, technical certifications, or customized applications); and
  • job specific skills (CPR, OSHA, Miner Training/Retraining, and many others).

Benefits of Customized Training

  • Convenient class locations with on-site training available
  • A comprehensive training plan, based on a training needs assessment, will address the skills and knowledge your employees need to help achieve your organizational goals
  • Programs tailored to meet your company’s specific needs
  • Training positively impacts employee performance and profitability
  • A well-trained workforce provides a competitive advantage

Job Skills Assessment Tools

WorkKeys® is a job skills assessment system that helps employers select, hire, train, develop, and retain a high-performance workforce. WorkKeys® connects work skills, training, and testing for employers and:

  • is the basis for the National Career Readiness Certificate.
  • WorkKeys® Foundational and Personal Skills assessments provide reliable, relevant information about workplace skill levels:
    • Foundational Skills assessments measure cognitive abilities such as applied mathematics, graphic literacy, and workplace documents.
    • Personal Skills assessment are designed to predict job behavior and measure the full potential of individuals.

Continuing Education/Lifelong Learning

  • Lifelong Learning opportunities (art, crafts, and music classes, summer camps and enrichment programs)
  • Continuing Education programs (project management certification classes, teacher recertification, etc.)

On-going Training and Institutes

Contact Workforce Solutions for scheduling of the following classes:

@Home Prep

Online Training that is fast, easy, and affordable. Complete our self-paced online training to obtain or renew your license/certificate. Available 24/7. Start and stop as you need. Tablet and smartphone compatible. Instant certificate upon completion for most courses.

Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support - Classroom

ACLS is designed for healthcare professionals who either direct or participate in the management of cardiopulmonary arrest and other cardiovascular emergencies. This includes personnel in emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive care and critical care units.

Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT)

This course is utilized to transition an EMT to an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician. Upon successful completion of the program and requirements, students will apply for National Registry testing and certification in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Basic Contractor Licensing

MECC offers an eight-hour course designed to cover the regulations and practices that govern the contracting industry. Students will thoroughly review the required elements of preparing a contract in accordance with regulation, explore methods in selecting customers and jobs based on license classification and experience, explore the various business structures to meet their particular need, and discuss tips that will help them to avoid regulatory and business programs. The course is designed to guide a contractor in making choices that will ensure compliance with regulation and maintain the license through business success. Although the intent of this course is not designed for examination preparation, the subject matter covered and the materials will certainly be useful for those who will take the license text.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

MECC offers the American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider certification course, covering adult, child, and infant CPR for both one person and two person scenarios.

The use of the AED and bag valve masks, along with assistance in choking response is covered. This course is certified by the American Heart Association.

CDL

Graduates of this four-week training program will have the knowledge and skills to become Class “A” CDL licensed drivers qualified to drive long distances, regionally or locally. Requires DMV Learners Permit Test, State Road Test, and DOT physical.

Concealed Weapons Permit

Discusses and explores safe firearms handling, laws, and procedures to acquire a concealed weapons permit.

CPR Instructor

Individuals who wish to become CPR Instructors can complete the American Heart Association certification course at MECC. The course is designed to credential persons to teach Heartsaver CPR, Heartsaver AED, Heartsaver First Aid, and BLS for Healthcare Provider CPR courses. This course is certified by the American Heart Association.

Driver Improvement Clinic

Mountain Empire Community Colleges offers a Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles approved Driver Improvement Clinic.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

MECC offers the option of taking our Virginia Office of EMS-approved course as either a credit course or a workforce (non-credit) course. In addition to CPR certification, students successfully completing this 160 hour course will be eligible to take the National Registry exam to become a certified Emergency Medical Technician. Requires successful completion of a drug screen and a criminal and sexual background check.

First Aid

MECC offers the American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid certification course, covering the basic principles of first aid, care and treatment of medical emergencies, care and treatment of injuries, and care and treatment of environmental emergencies. This course is certified by the American Heart Association.

Mine Training Courses

MECC offers a wide variety of certification courses and programs designed to meet the needs of the mining industry. Customized classes are also available to meet individual and company requests.

  • Annual Refresher Surface - VA & KY
  • Annual Refresher Underground - VA & KY
  • New Miner Training - Underground and Surface
  • General Coal Miner - Underground and Surface
  • Electrical Retraining - VA, KY, & WV
  • Diesel Retraining
  • Surface and Underground Mine Foreman
  • Virginia Deparatment of Energy Advanced First Aid
  • Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) - Certification & Recertification
  • Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) - Certification & Recertification
  • CPR - Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
  • First Aid Certification & Recertification
  • Virginia Department of Energy Reciprocity Advanced First-Aid
  • CDL Training

Virginia Nurse Aide

MECC offers the option of taking our Virginia Board of Nursing-approved course as either a credit course or a workforce (non-credit) course. In addition to CPR certification, students successfully completing this 140 hour course will be eligible to take the Virginia Board of Nursing exam to become a Certified Nurse Aide. Requires successful completion of a drug screen and a criminal and sexual background check.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Training

MECC offers a number of OSHA courses covering a variety of topics, including standards and hazard violations, overview of OSHA Act & 29 CFR, fire protection, personal protective equipment, material handling, electrical safety standards, hazard communications and more. These courses can be reserved by employers seeking to train a large number of employees or offered on an individual basis.

Paramedic

This course is utilized to transition experienced EMT-Intermediates, Registered Nurses, or Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians to the paramedic level. Upon successful completion of the program and requirements, students will apply for National Registry testing and certification in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)

The PALS Course is for healthcare providers who respond to emergencies in infants and children. These include personnel in emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive care and critical care units such as physicians, nurses, paramedics and others who need a PALS course completion card for job or other requirements.

Pharmacy Technician

Mountain Empire Community College offers an accredited (ASHP-American Society of Health-System Pharmacists) Pharmacy Technician program. The courses are designed to enable technicians to identify and describe significant federal legislation affecting pharmacy practice; identify and describe significant federal and state governing bodies affecting pharmacy; specify the duties that may legally be performed by pharmacy technicians; provide an overview of the types of prescription medication errors; and list strategies to reduce or eliminate prescription medication errors in pharmacy practice. The course provides 300 hours (30.0 CEU) of continuing education credit and prepares students for eligibilty to take the PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board) exam.

Power Lineman

Prepares students with the basic skills necessary to enter the electrical field as a Lineman. These skills include: overall safety considerations, power pole climbing skills, knowledge of the basic tools and materials involved with electrical crafts, general construction standards, basic rigging principles, and basic electrical theory that is specific to this trade. Classes introduce students to job related information and hands-on training. A component of the course includes preparation for the Construction and Skilled Trades (CAST) exam.

Security & Firearm Training

Security Officer Training is offered for individuals seeking their bi-annual recertification with the Department of Criminal Justice Services. Courses are also offered in firearms recertification, an annual requirement of the Department of Criminal Justice Services for any Private Investigator or Security Officer who carries a firearms endorsement card for a handgun or shotgun. Pre-registration for these courses is required.

Tradesman Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Courses

Tradesman CEU courses in Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC and Gas Fitters are offered on campus and online.