Academics
Founded in 1974 to serve the citizens of Fairmont, as well as those in other cities and towns throughout north central West Virginia, Pierpont Community and Technical College provides its students with the opportunity to earn an associate degree in more than 50 different subjects. A community called engage with the surrounding areas, the school also offers special community education opportunities through special classes and training sessions for those non-degree seeking individuals from the surrounding communities. A crucial element of this program is the Center for Workforce Education.
More than simply a place to earn an associate’s degree, Pierpont Community and Technical College offers its over 2,600 students unique, university-caliber classes with a more intimate classroom setting. In addition to a number of traditional courses, the school is well-known in West Virginia for its Robert C. Byrd National Aerospace Education Center, with various programs in both maintenance of aircrafts as well as actual flight.
Many of the educational programs at Pierpont Community and Technical College focus more on learning actual skills that can immediately be applied to the workforce, such as the Veterinary Technology Program and the Apprentice Underground Miner program. Other popular programs include those through the School of Human Services, which offers such diverse courses of study as Homeland Security and Folklife Studies. The School of Health Careers offers training in a number of health-related fields, such as Medical Laboratory Technology, Respiratory Therapy, and Health Information Technology.
A number of various one-year certificates can be earned at Pierpont Community and Technical College, including an EMS Technician Paramedic Certificate and a Folk Arts and Crafts Apprenticeship.
Originally founded as a part of Fairmont State College, Pierpont Community and Technical College is now its own separate educational institution, though the two schools do share the main campus. Classes are also offered in Bridgeport, Clarksburg, Buckhannon, Elkins, Fairmont, Flatwoods, Kingwood, Grafton, Morgantown, Weston, West Union, and Philippi.