Meeting Community Needs
FVCC keeps in touch with the pulse of the northwest Montana economy, adding programs such as radiologic technology when Kalispell Regional Hospital lacked a sufficient pool of X-ray technicians in the area. We’re poised to fit the changes in the local business climate to support, educate, and prepare our community as needs arise, businesses open and close, and technology changes.
Program Creation
We’re quick to develop degrees and certificates that respond to the shifts in business, industry, and community service needs. The recent growth in the healthcare and construction industries prompted FVCC to add programs in practical nursing, radiation technology, and surgical technology. We’ve added a tremendous number of classes in the building trades and now offer plumbing and electrical apprenticeships that are coordinated with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.
Fast-track Business Courses
Students pursuing business degrees while working full-time asked FVCC for an accelerated business program to mesh with full-time work schedules. Our fast-track business courses allow students to take a sequence of three fast-track classes per semester offered during the lunch hour and evenings, as well as during the day. Each class runs for a third of the semester, enabling you to take each consecutive class during the same time slot.
Workforce Training
FVCC develops the training necessary to boost local employment. When Flathead Valley lacked adequate HVACR training, FVCC teamed up with Airworks, a local company providing heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration services. FVCC began offering online courses to teach students theory and then utilized Airworks for hands-on technical workforce training.
Lincoln County Response
Educational needs fluctuate throughout northwest Montana, and FVCC seeks to respond quickly and productively to opportunities and challenges that develop throughout the region. Shortly after the EPA granted federal Superfund money to Libby for asbestos cleanup, FVCC teamed up with the EPA and Montana Department of Environmental Quality to provide local contractors with the necessary Montana Department of Environmental Quality certification. The Lincoln County campus also responded quickly to the closing of Owens & Hurst Mill, offering evening classes in Eureka to retrain displaced workers.