Trade school for free; City of Pleasanton, Coastal Bend College invest in Pleasanton’s future
Published: Wed, 09/28/22
Trade school for free; City of Pleasanton, Coastal Bend College invest in Pleasanton’s future
Danny took advantage of the free PTP program. He is the youngest graduate at age 23. He is now employed with JW Hughes Excavation.
COURTESY PHOTO
By Pleasanton Express Staff
September 28, 2022
Last March, the City of Pleasanton and Coastal Bend College formed a collaborative partnership to launch the Pleasanton Trades Program (PTP). This trades program offers Pleasanton residents the opportunity to earn state-recognized certifications for high-demand technical career fields in Electrical, Plumbing, and HVAC. The PTP is funded by the City of Pleasanton’s allocation of the American Rescue Plan. The PTP is self-paced and includes online instruction and site-based skills demonstration. The electrician program is 144-course hours, the HVAC program is 162-course hours, and the plumbing program is 145-course hours. The course hours do not include the time the individual will spend at a worksite for work experience.
The partnership between the city and CBC was recommended by the Pleasanton Economic Development Corporation President Jeanne Israel and supported unanimously by the Pleasanton City Council in early 2022.
Danny Minniear, one of the program’s youngest students, will soon graduate from the certification program. Danny, 23, graduated from Pleasanton High School in 2017 and enrolled in the free trade program last spring. Danny fasttracked through the PTP and recently began a full-time position with JW Hughes Excavation, where he is applying the electrician skills that he learned through the PTP. “If you are interested in pursuing a career in the trades but aren’t sure how or where to start, the Pleasanton Trades Program may be the perfect opportunity for you,” says Minniear.
“I am very pleased with the results of this important collaborative partnership between the city and CBC. I will join my colleagues on the City Council and the Pleasanton EDC in pushing for the continuation of the second round of the PTP,” says Mayor Clinton Powell.
Registration for the second round of the PTP will begin on October 30. The city will cover full course registration fees for up to 25 Pleasanton residents. Funds will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Registered students will begin online coursework once approved and verified into the program. Contact bbecknell@coastalbend. edu to register for the PTP program.