September 24, 2012 at 5:22 p.m.
Nicolet alters land surveying offerings to add certificate
New format makes the career more accessible, officials say
Nicolet alters land surveying offerings to add certificate
"It was not a reasonable use of taxpayer dollars," said Brigitte Parsons, Nicolet's dean of trade and industry. "We're numbers driven. We can't train a couple of students and absorb the instructional cost."
But college officials have found a way to continue to provide students with an opportunity to follow a land surveying career path. Last week, the Nicolet College Board of Trustees moved forward with the implementation of a Land Surveying certificate, a 15-credit program that can conceivably be completed in a semester and still adequately prepare students for the land surveyor's exam.
Nicolet is partnering with UW-Stevens Point on the certificate.
"It cuts costs because it allows us to leverage the resources of two different institutions," Parsons said, noting that she believes it's the first time in the state that a technical college has partnered with a four-year institution on developing a certificate.
Parsons said a meeting with UW-Stevens Point officials is set for this week to begin developing the structure of the class schedule. Classes could begin next summer.
"It will be in a hybrid format most likely," Parsons said.
She said there will be field work that requires face-to-face interaction between instructors and students. UW-Stevens Point's Treehaven campus could be used for the field work when it's available. Other instruction, like lectures, can be offered online.
It's not only an opportunity for Nicolet to continue to offer some sort of land surveying program. Parsons said this new format will make land surveying more accessible, particularly for students who may already have a bachelor's degree and are looking for a career change. Instead of looking at a two-year associate degree program, students can pursue the certificate and be on track to take the land surveyor's exam sooner.
"The problem is getting the access to the schooling in Wisconsin, that's what we can provide," Parsons said. "This makes the career path accessible. People can get registered (as a land surveyor) much faster than with a full associate degree program."
It's a career that may be lacking in interest currently, thus the small graduating class this past spring for Nicolet's land surveying program. That's why Nicolet is now offering a GIS (Geographic Information Systems) associate degree program instead. There is a growing demand in several different job areas for those skills, Parsons said. There are eight students currently enrolled in the first year of the program.
"It's a slow start usually," Parsons said. "We have capacity for 20 in the current section and will open up more if there's the demand. There's room for enrollment and there's jobs."
But if interest suddenly rises again in land surveying, which Parsons notes generally follows trends in the housing market, Nicolet still has an option for students.
"We're nimble," Parsons said. "When the need changes, we can accommodate the need. This is an example of that."
Kyle Rogers may be reached at kyle@rivernew sonline.com.
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