November 14, 2013 | SharkAdmin Did you know that some of the most lucrative careers in the workforce today are in the fields of nanotechnology, advanced water treatment and clinical research? These are three degree programs that are offered to students at NVC. You can say the college is on the cutting edge of up and coming careers! While these are fast-growing career fields, they are not fields that students know much about; and this hampers enrollment. I’m happy to announce that Workforce Education & Training is partnering with our Public Relations team to find creative ways to bring students into the programs. In addition to that, I encourage employees to spread the word to their colleagues, friends and neighbors about these exciting programs. Here’s a snapshot of the three areas: Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary field, working at the crossroads of physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and information technology. Not only does it provide the potential for miniaturization, but materials at the nano level exhibit entirely new possibilities to impact our daily lives from helping diseases, technology, improving our food supply and much more. Occupational information in this field indicates a 24 percent growth for biological technicians by the year 2020 in the Alamo Region. Possible career titles in this field are nanofabrication tech, research assistant and nanotechnologist device tech. The Advanced Water Treatment program prepares students for employment in the water treatment industry. Students will monitor, troubleshoot, and chemically clean equipment that is essential for the treatment of water/ wastewater. Occupational data indicates a 21 percent growth for water and wastewater treatment plant and systems operators by 2020 in our region. Possible titles in this field include water treatment plant operator, wastewater operator and water plant operator. The Clinical Research Coordinator program prepares students for careers managing research studies conducted in the development of new drugs and medical devices. Many people are surprised to learn that the U.S. Southwest region has one of the largest concentrations of clinical trials and new drug testing in the world and the industry continues to grow each year. The clinical trial industry is expected to have double-digit growth through 2015. A few career titles associated with this program are clinical research coordinator, clinical trial manager and research coordinator.
