Occupational Development - Skilled Trades, A.A.S.

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Program Purpose

The Occupational Development: Skilled Trades A.A.S. degree is offered in coordination with the West Virginia Skilled Trades Apprenticeship Nontraditional Degree (STAND) Program, as established in West Virginia Code §18B-3D-7. This statewide initiative was created by the West Virginia Legislature to provide a recognized degree pathway for individuals who have completed an apprenticeship program registered under the federal National Apprenticeship Act, 29 U.S.C. 50, et seq., or another federal apprenticeship program administered by the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship.

The STAND Program enables West Virginia residents, who are in an apprenticeship or are a journey worker, to complete the courses necessary to receive an associate degree. Eligible applicants can receive a grant to cover tuition and approved fees at participating community colleges in West Virginia. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis beginning July 1 through the College for West Virginia (CFWV) website. Funding is limited and awards are made on a first-come, first-served basis.

This degree is designed to serve apprentices in skilled trades fields such as:

Carpentry and Building Trades
Electrical Technology
Plumbing and Pipefitting
Welding and Fabrication
HVAC/R Technology
Sheet Metal and Industrial Maintenance

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Occupational Development - Skilled Trades A.A.S. will be able to:

Apply trade-specific technical knowledge and skills acquired through a registered apprenticeship.
Demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills within technical and workplace settings.
Utilize problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking to address real-world trade and industry challenges.
Integrate general education knowledge with technical skills to adapt to diverse work environments.
Advance in employment opportunities within their chosen skilled trade or pursue further education.

Opportunities

The STAND Program acknowledges the rigorous technical instruction and on-the-job training of registered apprenticeships as a foundation for degree completion. By combining apprenticeship credit with general education and related technical coursework, students earn a comprehensive associate degree that strengthens employability, supports career advancement, and establishes a clear bridge to further education.

Occupational Development - Skilled Trade A.A.S. (60Hrs)

Component I: General Education (15 Hrs)

All Component I coursework must be completed through Pierpont Community and Technical College.

Communication Skills (6 Hrs)

At least one college-level course must be in Writing, and at least one college-level course must be in Communications:

~ENGL 1104 - Written English I 3-4 hr(s). “C” or higher required to graduate
~ENGL 1108 - Written English II 3 hr(s). “C” or higher required to graduate
~ENGL 1109 - Technical Report Writing 3 hr(s). “C” or higher required to graduate
COM 2200 - Introduction to Human Communications 3 hr(s).

Quantitative Reasoning / Laboratory Science Experience (6 Hrs)

At least one college-level course must be in Mathematics and at least one college-level course must be in Laboratory Science:

MTH 1208 - Technical Mathematics 3-4 hr(s).
MTH 1210 - Introduction to Statistics 3-4 hr(s).
~MTH 1212 - College Algebra 3-4 hr(s).
~MTH 1207 - Fundamental Concepts of Mathematics 3-4 hr(s).
~CHM 1101 - General Chemistry 3 hr(s). (CHM 1101L recommended to be taken concurrently with CHM 1101)
PHY 1068 - Technical Physical Science 3 hr(s).
~PHY 1101 - Introduction to Physics I 4 hr(s).
SCI 1101 - General Science 4 hr(s).

General Education Elective (3 Hrs)

General Education Course (3-4 Hrs); OR

ARTD 1120 - Art Appreciation 3 hr(s).
~BIOY 1101 - General Biology 4 hr(s).
~HST 1101 - United States History I 3 hr(s).
~HST 1102 - United States History II 3 hr(s).
INTR 2200 - Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality 3 hr(s).
OFAD 1150 - Computer Concepts and Applications 3 hr(s).
~POL 1101 - American Government 3 hr(s).
~PSYG 1101 - Introduction to Psychology 3 hr(s).
~SCY 1101 - Introduction to Sociology 3 hr(s).
Any General Education Elective special topics classes that may have been created specifically for the STAND program.

Component II: Technical Core / Occupational Specialty (40 Hrs)

Classroom Instruction in the Occupation: 450-750 classroom/laboratory contact hours of occupational education converted to credit hours at the standard ratio of 15:1 (classroom) or 30:1 (laboratory).

Requirements: 40 credit hours minimum award for approved classroom work in U.S. Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship training programs.

Component III: On-the-Job Training (5 Hrs)

Training Requirements: Trades Council apprenticeship programs consist of at least 1,000 on-the-job training hours.

Credit Conversion: 1,000 hours of U.S. Department of Labor-approved on-the-job training converted at a 200:1 ratio (200 hours = 1 credit hour), yielding 5 credit hours total.

Validation: Training hours must be validated by apprenticeship officials within the U.S. Department of Labor prior to graduation application.

Documentation Requirements

For Components II and III, students must submit either:

Official U.S. Department of Labor certificate; OR
For students who have completed all requirements of an eligible U.S. Department of Labor skilled trades registered apprenticeship program but have not yet received their official DOL certificate, a valid certificate of completion issued by the Trades Council for that DOL-registered program, accompanied by correspondence confirming completion of exact training hours and on-the-job training equivalent to the DOL apprenticeship program requirements.

A statement of total contact hours experienced may be placed on the college record. Credit will be recorded immediately prior to graduation.

Notice to All Students

Annual Notification: All career and technical education courses and programs are offered at Pierpont regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, or disability.
Advanced Skill Set and Skill Set programs do not qualify for financial aid. Students seeking financial aid eligible degrees may incorporate the classes as electives when their schedule allows or may declare an associate or certificate degree in which the skill set and advanced skill set courses are embedded.
Students are reminded to review campus policies and procedures as stated in the catalog.

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