Corpus Christi’s community college adding electrician and fitness degrees
Del Mar College in Corpus Christi hopes to fill the gap with two degrees as the Coastal Bend experiences a shortage in electricians and fitness instructors. The community college’s board of directors approved an electrician program and a fitness and science exercise degree at its June 8 meeting.
Next step: The programs must be approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Southern Association Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Both programs should be available by fall of 2022.
An Associate of Applied Science degree in fitness and exercise opens the door to a median wage of $20.77 an hour or $43,000 a year. Del Mar already has the needed facilities and faculty to begin the new program, Jonda Halcome, chief academic officer for Del Mar, told the board.
For the electrician’s degree, the school will need to hire one full-time instructor/program coordinator and two to three adjunct instructors. Also, school space and training equipment will have to be added.
The program will include a Level I certificate for residential/commercial electrician, a Level II certificate for industrial electrician, an Associate in Applied Science electrician degree, and an occupational skill award for electrical helper. Median wage in the Coastal Bend is $24.18 an hour or about $50,000 a year.
