San Jac offers re-training for laid-off NASA employees, contractors

 

San Jacinto College is offering training to former NASA employees and contractors who have been laid off and unable to match their experience to the needs of local industries.

With the end of NASA’s shuttle program, many former employees and contractors are unable to fit their skills and experiences into industry needs. “The biggest roadblock for me is all my experience in aerospace,” said former NASA engineer, Reed Watson, according to the San Jacinto College news release. “Employers look at me and think ‘forget that guy, he’s too technical for what we need.’ I just want them to give me an opportunity.”

Watson and other former engineers will take advantage of free training programs at San Jacinto College to acquire skills that will be more attractive to local jobs such as those in the oil and gas industries. The former engineers will take courses offered by the college’s Continuing and Professional Development (CPD) division.

CPD offers a Programmable Logics Control course that the former engineers will take. After the course, the men will continue training to receive Project Management Professional certification.

A Programmable Logics Control course begins on Oct. 31, a CNC Operator course starts on Sept. 8 and an Industrial Automation Technician course begins on Nov. 7. 

The San Jacinto programs are being offered free of charge through a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor High Growth and Emerging Industries. For more information on the training courses, contact Ellen Bay at 281-501-0021 or ellen.bay@sjcd.edu, or Deborah Johnson at 281-478-36900 or deborah.johnson@sjcd.edu.