WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – With the fall semester only a few weeks off, Jefferson Community College is preparing to offer new programs and partnering with other institutions to train the next generation of workers.
“We’ve got people in this community that want to work, they want to better themselves. We want to be that school that is able to give them the training, give them the degrees that they need to be successful. Again here locally, and nationally,” said Dan Dupee, JCC’s president.
JCC is shifting its focus a bit for the upcoming school year, putting more an emphasis on real world training, and creating new programs to provide the training needed to get a job after graduation.
“We’re looking and we’re focusing on what are our local needs from the employers, and how do we meet that need? And we really want to meet that need with career based programs that they can get down in 18 to 24 months and be able to get out into the workforce here locally,” Dupee said.
Starting this fall, JCC is launching a new surgical technician program, partnering with Mohawk Valley Community College.
“We know that there is a local need. Our hospitals have a need for surg techs. They have probably about 20 positions here locally that have been unfilled for a long time, and we’re trying to fill that need for the local community,” Dupee said.
The new program is welcome news to the local medical community.
““You can tell the need is there, and we want those positions to be full time positions with permanent people right here in our local community,” said Leslie DiStefano, Director of Communications and Public Relations for Samaritan Medical Center.
“So it’s exciting for us to have this type of program, knowing that there is a job waiting for them once they pass and they’re credentialed, and they’ve met all of the requirements needed,” she said.
DeStefano says there are currently 10 open full time positions for surgical technicians at Samaritan. JCC is hoping if the program is successful to launch a dental hygienist program as well in the fall of 2025.
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