Staffers at the Pinnacle Career Institute in Kansas City have seen enrollment numbers majorly increase, nearly doubling in recent years.
That’s likely due to the demand in the job market for trade positions like wind turbine technicians and tower technicians.
The ability to quickly finish programs and start those careers could also be a factor.
“A lot of our recruiters that come to campus say that they are needing to hire 100 technicians or 200 technicians in a certain amount of time, and there’s just not that large of a pool of candidates out there to help them meet that demand,” said Matt Beer the VP of Enrollment Management at the Pinnacle Career Institute.
”So they’ll actually call us and ask us, ‘when is your next graduating class?’”
PCI is helping fill the demand for wind turbine technicians, which is at the top of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ fastest-growing occupations list.
“We’re not new to teaching wind turbine technicians. We’ve actually been doing this since 2009, and we’ve been able to adapt with the industry as the growth has been absurd recently,” said Dillon Wadsack, PCI’s Executive Director of Business Development.
The career institute offers wind turbine technician, tower technician, HVAC technician, and wind energy technology programs that are completed in less than a year.
“In less than one year, somebody can start school, finish school, and then start their new career, making money and supporting themselves and their family,” Wadsack explained.
PCI students have the ease of taking courses online and then spending 10 days on campus for hands-on training.
“Many of our students are working full-time, 40-hour work weeks, and they want to work towards something better, something more rewarding for themselves and their families,” Beer said. “One of the main features of our training is that they are able to pursue this while continuing to work full-time.”
With telecommunication towers being built across the country, PCI has also seen a significant increase in enrollment in its tower tech program.
“I think because of just the duration of the program being so quick, the assistance of career services, and just the overall demand for those careers all over the country has helped that program grow so quickly,” Beer explained.
”So we like to say it’s like an office with a view. There are great views at the top of towers. Safety is our primary focus, but as long as you’re open to working at heights and you’re open to some travel, it’s a very lucrative career to get into right now.”
The Pinnacle Career Institute prioritizes teaching students safety in the field in all of its programs.
With a majority of the program being online, PCI is able to draw in students from around the country.