Pine Technical & Community College named to Military Times 20 Best for Vets

SFC Troy Erickson, Veterans’ Center student worker Daniel Sawatzky, Veterans’ Club student president Haven Badrawi, Veterans' Club faculty advisor Chris Morgan and PTCC president Joe Mulford.

PINE CITY, Minn. – Pine Technical & Community College is proud to be included in Military Times Best for Vets: Career and Technical Colleges 2016 rankings. PTCC was ranked number 17, one of only two Minnesota schools to earn a spot in the top 20 career and technical colleges.

 The organization, made up of Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times and Marine Corps Times, focused on culture and curriculum that caters to military veterans when conducting and scoring the annual survey of schools that self-identify as career and technical colleges.

 “We’re very honored by this distinction, because it continues to validate our efforts to help veterans achieve their education goals,” said PTCC President Joe Mulford. “After the sacrifices our veterans and active service members make, we’re proud to give back.”

 “This is an important distinction because it shows that the college not only cares about their veteran students, but care enough to share what they are doing in hopes of making it better on a national scale,” said Chris Morgan, a veteran who is now PTCC’s Cyber-Security instructor and Veteran’s Club faculty advisor. “The Military Times website is a one-stop-shop for not only active duty, but all veterans from all branches to find out the latest information that effects them and their benefits.”

 As with all of the Best for Vets rankings, Best for Vets: Career & Technical Colleges is an editorially independent news project that evaluates the many factors that make an institution a good fit for military veterans. Career and technical colleges respond to the same Best for Vets: Colleges survey as two-year institutions on up.  The survey tool is a highly respected analysis of a college’s complete offerings for veterans.

It’s not just the items measured in the survey that make PTCC a veteran-friendly school, according to Morgan. “I can sum it up with one word -- attitude. As a 26 year Air Force retiree, I never expected the treatment I received when I first started here at PTCC. I was welcomed with open arms and treated like I was family,” Morgan said. “My transition to civilian life was not easy. I have numerous deployments and years spent away from my family. I joined when I was 17 years old and the military was all I ever knew. The administration and staff at PTCC understood that and became like a second family to me almost right away. It is this “attitude” that has led PTCC to receive this distinction, I have no doubt.”

 “It’s the people like Shawn Reynolds (financial aid director and veteran’s coordinator) and Paula Hoffman (dean of students) that ensure this program is meeting the veterans’ needs to ensure current and future success,” Morgan continued.

Pine Technical & Community College has an active Veteran’s Center and Veteran’s Club on campus. In addition, admissions and financial aid staff can assist veterans identify and claim their education benefits. For more information about PTCC’s programs, including information regarding how to apply call 320-629-5100 or online at www.pine.edu.

From “middle of nowhere” to great career in 8 months

Like a lot of individuals living in rural Minnesota, James Swanson wasn’t aware that he could get a great education close to home. Swanson, who says he lives “in the middle of nowhere” found a world of opportunity right outside his backdoor.

Tired of working minimum wage jobs, Swanson came to Pine Technical & Community College looking for a degree he could finish quickly, without a lot of debt. After meeting with Education and Employment Advisor Kris Hanson, he learned about PTCC’s online welding technology certificate offered through the 360 eTech consortium.

While most of the core and technical courses are held online, Swanson completed the hands-on lab work at Lake Superior College in Duluth. The labs were held over the weekend, allowing students to continue working throughout the duration of the certificate programs.

 “It kind of blew my mind, that the certificate was so close and so cheap,” he said. The certificate is just 30 credits, and only $187 per credit. Plus, the online courses offered him an opportunity to work at his own pace, allowing him to complete the entire certificate in just eight months. When he graduates, he’ll have less than $3,000 debt.

“I took 15 of the 30 credits in one semester,” Swanson said. He worked with Hanson to determine how to best handle his course load, making sure he wasn’t taking on too much. In the end, he was able to accomplish his goals and found he even liked the math courses. “It was surprising to me how much I liked the math. When it clicks, it feels good.”

“I’m really proud of him,” Hanson said. “He has such a positive attitude, and he’s a hard worker.”

And that hard work has paid off. Swanson completes his certificate this month, and he already has job prospects lined up.

“Between the quality of the classes and how fast you can get through the program, I would definitely recommend this to anyone else,” Swanson said.

In addition to welding technology, 360 eTech offers certificate programs in production technologies, automation technologies and machine technologist. Military students may have training in their military transcripts that can be counted toward course credit.

To learn more about the 360 degrees offered at Pine Technical & Community College, please see our 360 webpage. Or contact Student Affairs at 320.629.5100 or email admissions@pine.edu.