UA Pulaski Tech get graduates’ careers moving
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niversity of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College has always been known as a leader in skilled professions training, providing the kind of education and training that moves graduates from the classroom to the skilled workforce quickly. The college’s transportation programs are the latest in this long line of cutting-edge coursework, preparing students for high-paying careers in high demand. From training to be a professional over-the-road truck driver to automotive technology and collision repair to diesel engine technology, UA Pulaski Technical College graduates are at the forefront of what moves people and products from one end of the nation to the other. More critical now than ever during the supply chain problems brought on by global COVID, transportation technology professionals command top dollar throughout the state and across the nation. According to the Department of Labor, there were nearly 38,000 truck-driving jobs in Arkansas (paying a median annual salary of $44,000), many of which are unfilled due to the retirement of older drivers and a lack of new ones coming up. Keeping all of those rigs on the road were nearly 4,000 diesel mechanic jobs in the state (paying a median annual salary of $41,000). Equally important are auto mechanics and collision repair specialists, both of which are capably trained through UA Pulaski Technical College’s state-of-the-art facilities and instruction. Arkansas has nearly 7,000 auto mechanic jobs and almost 1,800 collision repair jobs, per the Department of Labor, both of which are expected to grow faster than the national average over the next decade. Median annual salaries in these fields are $38,000 and $40,000, respectively, and are trade skills that offer excellent opportunities for opening one’s own business. Each of UA Pulaski Technical College’s educational programs is recognized and/or certified by leading industry training groups and kept current by regular consultation with area businesses to ensure skills are marketable and of the highest academic rigor. Classes are held at the college’s sprawling Transportation Technology Center on UA Pulaski Technical College’s south campus, between Little Rock and Alexander.
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BLUEPRINT | 2022 | ARKANSAS TIMES
