Responding to the need of the chemical industry, Nicholls and the River Parishes Community College in Sorrento have joined their efforts in creating a two-year chemical laboratory technology degree, beginning in Fall 2002. At the December meeting, the Board of Regents approved the joint degree program as a way to support teamwork between Louisiana’s four-year and two-year colleges to provide students with both education and training.

“Our advisory council, which is made up of mostly industrial people, expressed to us the need to have a two-year program for technologists. There’s no program within a thousand miles that teaches this,” Dr. Jim Beck, chairman of the physical sciences department, said.

Prior to this program, lab workers who had no understanding of chemistry were placed in labs and not able to complete the work as necessary, Beck said.

Because RPCC does not currently have the faculty or the resources to carry out the program, Nicholls agreed to help them establish and get the program started.

“It does meet the local need, and that is what our job is,” Beck said.

According to Beck, a chemical lab technician’s job is to complete routine lab analysis. However, many people who do this do not fully comprehend the chemistry and end up with poor results. The degree program would offer the knowledge and skills necessary to complete the analysis.

“Our training agency, which is called the American Chemical Society, has developed a two-year chemistry technology program and is trying to get at least one established in every state because of the emerging need for technology.

“The equipment is much more sophisticated and the knowledge base to run the equipment is getting great. To meet that need, they have established a curriculum that can be accredited,” Beck said. Currently, there are only six accredited programs in the country. Once the joint program has been successfully established for several years, the program directors will apply for accreditation.

Nicholls will provide the advanced training beginning in Fall 2002 and will phase the program into RPCC’s curriculum. By 2005, the program will be under the direction of RPCC.

Beck estimates between 25 and 50 students will enroll, satisfying the local need for technologists. Included in the classes will be students who are new to the program, those currently enrolled in classes at both schools and some employees from the plants.

“We will take their old-time technicians who have had lots of experience and start them a little bit higher up in the program because they’re experienced,” Beck said.

Someone with this degree can expect to work in any chemical industry. A chemistry major expects something better because they have had better training and do not want to do repeated measurements of how basic something is, Beck said.

Students who discover they are not satisfied working as a lab technician will have the option of applying what they have learned to a four-year degree at Nicholls and then return to the plant as a chemist.

Sighting industry to be served in both areas, Dr. Bill Martin, executive vice chancellor and dean of academic studies at RPCC, said, “We supported it from day one. It is a great idea. We appreciate the partnership with Dr. Beck and NSU.”

RPCC was chosen because of their central location in the industrial corridor, Beck said.