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Barstow Community College outlines welding, drone and veterans programs to support BIG jobs
Summary
Barstow Community College told a town hall it is expanding training tied to the Barstow International Gateway project, citing an established welding partnership with BNSF (about $600,000 in college investment), new automation and drone programs supported by grants, and a Veterans Electrical Entry pre-apprenticeship to feed unions and local employers.
Barstow Community College officials told a town hall audience that the college is preparing a broad set of workforce programs to support the Barstow International Gateway (BIG) project and the region’s logistics needs.
Dr. Ava Bag, president of Barstow Community College, said the college has a long-standing focus on career technical education and highlighted existing collaborations with BNSF, including a customized welding certification program. The college invested about $600,000 to renovate a facility and provide equipment for BNSF-focused welding cohorts, Dr. Bag said, and the program has been extended beyond its initial contract term.
"We're here to train the workforce, to support the facility, and to serve the customers who will benefit from the inland port that BIG will create," Dr. Bag said.
Dr. Bag described additional and planned offerings: electro-mechanical industrial maintenance training, supply-chain automation certifications tied to hands-on ‘skill boss’ equipment on display at the town hall, a drone-technology program funded with a state grant that will include FAA certification and maintenance credentials, and a CDL pipeline in partnership with a local driving academy. She also detailed a Veterans Electrical Entry Program (a six-week pre-apprenticeship intended to start in winter) designed to lead directly into apprenticeship and union opportunities.
The college emphasized partnerships with industry (BNSF, NextEra and other employers) to align curriculum to hiring needs and with local government and nonprofit stakeholders to develop a full pipeline from secondary education through apprenticeship. Dr. Bag invited community members and employers to meet college staff at an information table in the lobby following the presentations.
Speakers for the college segment included Dr. Ava Bag (president, Barstow Community College) and named instructors and partners discussed in her remarks.
