Western Wyoming Community College Expands Electrical and Instrumentation Program to Evanston

Students interested in the electrical and instrumentation field can register for a new course at the Western Wyoming Community College (Western) Evanston Outreach Center. The new class, ELTR 1505 - Electrical Assembly and Measure, is part of a brand new lab that has been developed to give students hands-on experience with electrical work. Uinta B.O.C.E.S. recently removed a wall between two classrooms to create a dedicated space for electrical work so students can receive career training without commuting to Rock Springs.

“Evanston is very centrally located,” says Amy Murphy, Grant Management & Workforce Initiatives at Western. “When you look at where the workforce is coming from, Evanston is well-known in the area. With this program, students can take classes right in their hometown.”

Funding for this new lab and course comes from Governor Mark Gordon's Wyoming Innovation Partnership (WIP) initiative. This program fosters collaboration between educators and workforce leaders to ensure students have the skills they need to succeed in their careers.  

Western Develops Courses to Keep Up With Employer Demand

You can feel how excited Murphy is about the national interest that Southwest Wyoming has garnered and the potential job growth that could occur here. More companies than ever are moving to the region and bringing specific employment needs with them. Western is stepping up to ensure students can meet those needs.

“Our career and technical programming is designed to be responsive to industry needs,” says Murphy. “This new expansion of the electrical and instrumentation program is the result of working with industry partners.”

The course expands an existing program designed to help students become instrumentation technicians. When students graduate, they can work for manufacturing companies, local utilities, and power substations, or start their own businesses as electricians.

There are scholarship opportunities for students interested in this course, and students do not need to be Wyoming residents to enroll. Students living across the border in Utah can still take advantage of Western course offerings.    

Western Helps Students Secure Jobs After They Graduate

Murphy and her team at Western understand the value of hands-on experience during the learning process. The school offers multiple labs for students entering the electrical field and helps them secure internships within the industry. Throughout the year, Western instructors bring representatives from local businesses into the school to meet with students and talk about their work. Not only does this help students learn about potential careers, but it also creates networking opportunities that could lead to job offers.  

“We are focused on high-growth, high-demand, and high-wage career paths,” says Murphy. “We want students to know their education is an investment that can support them for decades.”

This investment also supports local businesses. Companies can get students excited about working for them and recruit top candidates right from the school system. They can also confirm that students are developing skills they can apply as soon as they are hired. 

It’s Never Too Late to Return to School  

Western welcomes students from all walks of life. Some people come to college fresh out of high school while other students make career changes after years of being in the workforce. Murphy says she is always happy to have seasoned students enroll. It is a sign that they are ready to try something new that can change their lives.

“It’s never too late for a fresh beginning,” she says. “Our students know that at the end of the road, there is an opportunity for them.”

Murphy adds that electrical work is future-proof and there will always be a need for electricians no matter how technology changes. Western has open enrollment, so there is never a bad time to look into classes and take the first steps to change your career.

To learn more about this course and other classes at Western, contact Amy Murphy at amurphy@westernwyoming.edu. 

Learn More About Workforce Development Programs in Evanston

Western is just one example of the ample workforce development programs in Evanston. There are several opportunities for residents to grow their skills and step into new careers. Get to know some of our other fantastic workforce partners and the great work they do. We are proud to work with Western Wyoming Community College and dozens of other groups in Southwest Wyoming.