Citing both Greene County’s 1.9% unemployment rate and a skilled worker shortage, Ozarks Technical Community College is hosting a series of free, short-term training courses during the summer.
Students will not have to pay tuition to develop their skills in welding, heating and air (HVAC) assistance, construction or masonry. The classes are structured to teach and train students in a way that will lead to entry-level work in each skilled industry.
State programs like Fast Track and SkillUP, or college financial aid, will cover the costs of attending the courses, according to an OTC news release. With the exception of the construction course, which will be held at OTC’s Springfield and Table Rock campuses, all courses will be offered at the Springfield campus.
The sessions range from six weeks for welding to two days for masonry. Students must be at least 18 to qualify for the free courses, and can email cwd@otc.edu or call 417-447-8888 to learn more.
The full schedule is listed below:
Welding, July 5-Aug. 9. The course meets five days a week from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Construction (offered at Springfield and Table Rock), July 5-28. The course meets five days a week from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
HVAC Assistant, July 11-22. The course meets five days a week from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Masonry, June 30 and July 7. The course meets both days from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.