VGCC and Richmond Community College partner to expand reach of 911 telecommunicators program
VGCC welcomed leaders from Richmond Community College for a signing ceremony at VGCC's Henderson Campus. Pictured from left to right: Jamison Sears, RichmondCC 911 Communications & Operations Program Coordinator; Dr. Miriam Huntley, RichmondCC Dean of Business Technologies & Public Services; Kevin Parsons, RichmondCC Vice President for Instruction; Dr. Rachel Desmarais, VGCC President; Dr. Kim Sepich, VGCC Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success; and Dr. Brandy Bowling, VGCC Dean of Arts & Sciences.
Vance-Granville Community College has teamed up with Richmond Community College to offer a new emergency telecommunications program to residents of Vance, Granville, Franklin, and Warren counties.
The two community colleges recently signed an agreement that will allow students at VGCC to enroll in RichmondCC’s online program to obtain an associate degree in 911 Communications & Operations . VGCC students will complete a majority of the core courses and the work-based learning portion of the program through RichmondCC while completing other general education requirements at VGCC.
“VGCC is pleased to partner with Richmond Community College to offer the 911 operator degree. Collaborations like these allow us to offer needed training and credentials to our community while being fiscally responsible,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, president of VGCC.
The online degree program provides a pathway for individuals who are interested in starting a career in this field, as well as providing skills enhancement for those already working as 911 telecommunicators.
The college curriculum program was developed when the NC 911 Board reached out to RichmondCC about a need for standardization in training 911 telecommunicators, plus a need to help elevate this career field. The college worked closely with the NC 911 Board and the NC Department of Information Technology to construct the online program.
“We appreciate Vance-Granville coming on board in this collaborative career training partnership to give 911 telecommunicators, who are true public servants, better educational opportunities and career growth,” said Dr. Dale McInnis, president of RichmondCC. “We look forward to working with our neighbors in the Piedmont.”
Unique in the state of North Carolina, RichmondCC’s 911 Communications & Operations program welcomed its first class of students during the fall 2023 semester.
RichmondCC has been reaching out to other community colleges in the state to make the 911 telecommunications program and its resources available to more students. VGCC is the fourth NC community college to create such a partnership with RichmondCC; Bladen Community College , Gaston College , and Stanly Community College will also be extending the program to their students.
Richmond Community College’s main campus is in the city of Hamlet, located near the South Carolina border between the cities of Charlotte and Fayetteville.
For more information about the online 911 Communications & Operations associate degree, call RichmondCC at 910-410-1700.
