News
Technology college leads to good jobs
About half the students at the Montana State University College of Technology come from families
earning less than the state’s average income.
But when they graduate, those students take jobs that pay above that level.
"That’s economic development," Ron Sexton, MSU-Billings chancellor, told about 70 business, government and community
leaders Thursday at the College of Technology.
BY MARY PICKETT
Of The Gazette Staff
The group met for breakfast, the first event of a daylong open house to showcase the college’s programs.
In the past, the state has favored schools that offer four-year and advanced degrees over two-year schools, Sexton
said. Parents and high school guidance counselors also have directed most students into bachelor degree programs.
But four-year schools are only a small part of higher education and two-year programs are on the cutting edge of
preparing students for jobs, Sexton said.
Enrollment at the state’s community colleges has increased 73 percent over the last decade, and two-year programs are
the fastest growing segment of post-secondary education.
On average, 94 percent of College of Technology graduates get jobs after they graduate.
The Montana University System, which includes the state’s two-year programs, emerged from the recent special
session of the Legislature with less money for this fiscal year than it had 10 years ago, Sexton said.
The state has yet to make a significant investment in the infrastructure and technology at two-year colleges, Sexton
said.
Instead, investment for those programs have come from local industries, like Conoco and others, which helped launch a
process-plant technology program at the college to train refinery workers.
Two-year programs like those at the College of Technology should not be characterized as institutions continually
begging for money, but rather places where problems are solved, Sexton said.
"Share your problems with us, and we will work on solutions," he said.
The College of Technology should be responsive to the community and shifts in the economy to prepare residents to
work in new industries or retrain those whose jobs have been cut, he said.
The college offers 26 programs and has 583 full-time equivalent students this fall, 116 more than last year at this time,
John Cech, dean of the college, said.
Health programs, such as nursing, paramedic and medical assistant programs, along with trade and industry classes are
full or nearly full for the fall.
The welding and fabrication program has twice the number of students it did last year.
The fire science program, started last year with the help of the Billings Fire Department, also is full.
During the breakfast and later at a lunch for about 160 business, hospital and industry representatives, college officials
solicited suggestions about the direction the college should take.
During the morning meeting, participants said there is a need for programs that teach pharmacy and respiratory
technology, medical coding, writing computer software and agriculture-related skills.
Other suggestions from participants included:
Develop an associate’s of nursing degree to help ease the local nursing shortage.
Strengthen ties with School District 2’s Career Center, located next door to the College of
Technology on Central Avenue.
Create programs that address industries’ need for large engine and pipeline valve repair. Because no
local businesses can handle that work, millions of dollars in repair business is being exported out of
the state, one participant said.
Tell parents of younger children about College of Technology programs to help them with long-range
educational plans.
Encourage the state to offer tax credits for businesses working with the college.
Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises
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Guest Opinion: Colleges of technology chart new courses
BY ARTHUR H. DEROSIER JR.
Thirty-three years ago, in 1969, the Montana Legislature created a vocational-technical education
system with vocational education centers in Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena and Missoula.
Governance of the individual centers was placed in the hands of the local school district in which the
center was located.
The Billings center was, therefore, administered by School District 2. In 1987,
governance was shifted to the State Board of Regents. Not really knowing how to administer
vocational centers, the Board of Regents punted and, between 1994 and 1996, transferred control of
three centers – Butte, Helena and Missoula – to the University of Montana, and Billings and Great
Falls to Montana State University. The name of each center was changed to college and, thus, was
born in Billings a new or recast entity called the Montana State University-Billings College of
Technology.
The mission of all five centers was primarily to provide one and two-year technical education programs. Most of us
knew that there were vocational education centers, and, even if we did not pay much attention to them (and most did not),
we kind of knew that they were charged with offering technical-education programs, and we thought that was a good idea.
Changing missions
That original mission has changed and is changing dramatically, and few of us knew that it was happening.
Most of the COTs have continued their emphasis on vocational-technical education and will probably do so for decades
to come. However, all five COTs have expanded their missions to serve a much broader audience, including computer
science, health care, business administration and two-year associate transfer degrees. Today, the MSU-Billings COT offers
15 two-year degree programs, including Associate of Applied Science, Associate of Arts and Associate of Science and 10
certificate programs.
The Butte COT works closely with local economic development officials in meeting with leaders of potential new
businesses for Butte. They are interested in providing contract training seeking ways to train employees to meet current and
future labor needs.
Adding rigorous academics
John Cech, the new dean of the Billings COT has identified the need for an expanded mission as one of his top priorities.
The mission he sees for the Billings COT would be similar to one in place at the Great Falls COT – an expansion that is
diversified, identifies and serves local needs and takes on many aspects of a community college.
Doing so will require the
implementation of a rigorous academic core of classes that will allow graduates to continue their undergraduate education in
a baccalaureate program at an accredited four-year college or university.
Colleges and universities evolve, diversify and grow. They need to be mindful of foolhardy duplication, while staying
abreast of what is needed today and tomorrow to insure that Montana has a well-trained work force in areas of growth. The
mission of Montana’s five COTs is quite different today from what it was in 1969. Montana is different today from what it was
33 years past. What was needed in 1969 is still needed, and we will be badly served if we discontinue or downgrade the
COT emphasis on vocational technical education in favor of other missions. Yet, expanding the COT mission in Montana to
meet today’s needs is laudatory and defensible. Education comes in many different packages and sizes. Colleges of
technology are taking their place in that mix. That is good news.
Arthur DeRosier recently retired as president of Rocky Mountain College and now is associated with the Western
Heritage Center.
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