Moving Forward

Business owners and the administrators of the South Louisiana Community College and its T.H. Harris campus in Opelousas, see eye-to-eye about one thing: The school best serves its students when it prepares them for good jobs that can be found at home and that will, in turn, help local businesses grow.

As SLCC’s vice chancellor of economic and workforce development, a big part of Dr. Willie Smith’s job is to tailor programs to match the employment needs of the area, offering training that “will prepare our graduates to step into high-wage, high-demand jobs.”

To help achieve that goal, T.H. Harris is renovating and expanding facilities at its extension campus on I-49 in Opelousas to provide for more welding students and to expand diesel mechanics training—both of which have seen an upsurge in demand by students and potential employers in recent months.

Buddy Helton, owner of Circle H. Welding Supply in Opelousas, is one of the business owners who applauds the expansion.

“Trades are what drive our economy,” he said. “Kids coming out of school with good welding skills who are willing to look for the right job can earn in six figures.”

James Richard, general manager of the Republic Services solid waste operations in Acadiana, says “diesel mechanics are critical in our line of business,” and, to back his words, the company has donated a truck to give students hands-on experience.

That’s important, Helton says. “Trades aren’t something you learn from a book. You need that real experience, you need that practice.” And, he says, training like that given at T.H. Harris is important, in his field and many others.”

“Welding has changed from the traditional stick welding that we learned when I was beginning,” he said. “It’s getting more technical. They need more training, and it is a continuing learning process. Each situation is different.”

Republic’s Richard said the same is true of the diesel mechanics firms like his need.

“We are excited to partner with SLCC to promote the diesel mechanics program and encourage graduates to establish careers with Republic,” he said. Donation of the truck will “allow hands-on experience for SLCC students on a piece of equipment they would work on regularly at our company.”

Republic is also establishing a scholarship of $2,500 each for two of the students each year.

In addition to these courses, T.H. Harris offers Louisiana’s only accredited nondestructive testing program and is home to a widely recognized Practical Nursing program.

The T.H. Harris campus became part of the South Louisiana Community College System with the merger in 2012 of SLCC and the 

Acadiana Technical College campuses in south Louisiana.

The Opelousas campus offers associate of science degrees in accounting, business, and general studies; associate of applied science degrees in business administration and industrial electronics technology; technical diplomas for commercial and industrial electricians and heating and air conditioning technicians, as well as diesel technology, welding, testing, and nursing; and a certificate of technical studies for patient care technicians.

The T.H. Harris campus “offers a lot of opportunity” for students and for their potential workplaces Chancellor Smith said. “We’re excited about what’s going on there and will continue to work with local businesses to train our students for the satisfying careers that are available to them.”