Occupational Extension

Occupational extension courses are specifically designed to provide training that leads to employment, upgrading of the skills of persons presently employed or retraining for new employment in a different occupational field. These courses may be offered exclusively by the college or in cooperation with business and industry. Occupational extension courses cover a range of topics including fire service, emergency medicine, law enforcement, truck driving and driving safety training, industrial maintenance technician, and a variety of other types of technical and employment-related training. The Division is constantly seeking to meet the certification needs for professional workers; therefore new courses are added periodically. Please call to inquire if the training you seek is not listed.

A number of pre-employment training courses are available though the Human Resources Development Program. Those courses include Career Planning and Employability Skills, Basic Keyboarding and Computer Applications, Clerical and Medical Office Skills, Home Care Companion and Introduction to Health Care Careers. Training for the Career Readiness Certification is also conducted through the HRD Program.

Greatest in demand, second to the Truck Driving Program, are courses which prepare individuals for work in the health care field. Offerings include Nurse Aide, Phlebotomy, Pharmacy Technician, EKG Technician, Veterinary Technician and emergency medical courses which include Emergency Medical Responder, EMT Basic, EMT Intermediate, and Paramedic Courses. Medical courses are considered “limited enrollment,” which requires that candidates apply for admission and meet established criteria to enroll.

Training classes which meet state certification requirements are typically provided as occupational extension courses. Law enforcement in-service training requirements are outlined in the Administrative Code 12 NCAC 09E. It requires that every law enforcement officer certified by the Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission must receive 24 hours of in-service training annually. The Criminal Justice and Sheriff’s Education and Training Standards Commission approved additional training requirements which were implemented January of 2009. The division also offers Detention Officer Training and courses in support of the Juvenile Justice Training Program.

NC Community Colleges provide in-service training to over 90% of our State’s firefighters. NCDOI Certification classes for Firefighters I & II, Rescue Technician, Driver Operator, and Emergency Vehicle Operator will maintain their normal schedules posted at each department. Emergency Medical Services continuing education classes follow the schedules posted at each department. Initial training for Emergency Responders, EMTs and Paramedics is available at various locations throughout the county.

Continuing Education Classes are open to students age 18 and above. All courses except self-supported class offerings are free to North Carolina Residents age 65 and older up to a maximum of 69 hours per semester. Students should note that if they register for the same course more than twice within a five-year period they will be charged the full cost of the course which they have taken twice. Students shall be primarily responsible for monitoring course repetitions; however, the college shall review records and charge students the full cost for courses taken more than
twice. Please note that the repetition rule applies to all Occupational training classes. If you think that you may have taken the same course within a five year period, ask the staff member registering the class to check this before you register in order to avoid additional costs for the class.

<<Click here to obtain a Registration Form>>

Occupational extension Tuition Fees:

For additional information,
call Continuing Education at 592-7176, extension 4001 or 4003