Andrews ISD and Odessa College to offer automation program for dual credit students

ANDREWS, Texas (KOSA) - Andrews ISD and Odessa College have partnered to offer dual credit high school students an automation program that will begin this fall.

“They’ll walk out with employable skills that will help them go straight into the workforce that will help them have the skills they need the training, the certification completely hands on and prepared to go to work,” said Andrews ISD Director of Teacher Development Krista Scott.

Scott says this is a huge opportunity for students as they’ll walk away with an Associates Degree or a Level 1 or Level 2 Certificate.

“This will allow students to become trained to work in the automation field in the oil industry. It also will transfer to industries like Amazon or Pepsi or other programs like that,” said Scott.

Industry experts will be brought in to talk to students, helping them learn and grow. The classes will be held at the Odessa College Andrews Campus.

“We know that it’s gonna be able to put them to work right away so were excited about the wage and the living that this is gonna create for these students very early on and that their going to be able to help themselves and their families in the long run,” said Odessa College Vice President of Academic Partnership Jonathan Fuentes.

Fuentes says the program has already had great success in Odessa.

“They’re gonna be using computers they’re gonna be using machines to pump oil through or pump gas through different pipes and so these machines are really the ones that control the flow or all of the different processes that are happening out in the field,” said Fuentes.

In the future they do hope to expand this program to all students in the Andrews area.

Copyright 2023 KOSA. All rights reserved.