On Feb. 16, a program under Prof. Thomas A. Philip started at the Lower Bucks campus for anyone interested in locomotive engineering.
Now maintaining a partnership with NJ Transit, The Locomotive Engineer and Conductor Training Class offers education on a vast number of aspects across the locomotive industry. According to Donna Kirn Director of Continuing Education & Community Programs, this is in order to help students land a job in the industry, by preparing them for more specific education in the field. Jobs in the field include engineer, conductor, dispatcher, track worker, signal maintainer, and ticket agent. Said jobs typically last for a career of about thirty years.
Students eligible will require nothing more than a high school diploma. The class is non-credit, and includes a large variety of students, ranging from 18 to 65 years of age. The primary reasons for student enrolment in the class is wanting to switch careers or bypass college by pursuing the locomotive industry. Kirn stated. “However, that it could be for anybody, as even those who would otherwise prefer to skip college could find meaning in its classes.”
The majority, however, remain with one of two repeated reasons, new careers, or bypassing college, that brings about people from all over. One of the only other reasons was from those who worried about the end of their career. “Some of them want to start over and some of them were concerned about the retirement, obviously some of them are going to be there for thirty years.” said Kirn.
These few reasons however come from many different people, whether 18 or 65 years old. Donna said. “I once had a football referee, and an air traffic controller in her class.” In spite of this, she said. “An associate’s degree is probably still helpful due to all the math, comprehension, and miscellaneous skills required for the job. “
The course has been offered since 2008, and this year has the added benefit of partnering with NJ Transit. They will send employees into class in order to give information on the subject from a point of view riddled with real experience from the field. It now maintains popularity due to the increasing job slots opening in the locomotive industry.
Those who registered at the information meeting on Feb. 2 also receive a 10 percent discount for the class. Since the class will be conducted with the support of New Jersey transit, representatives of the company have visited already their info meetings, bringing information about their company.
At least 23 interested individuals have shown up to the last meeting. They were able to benefit first hand from this new development, enriched by representatives from NJ transit. Overall the class acts as a debriefing of the locomotives field, one that will offer important knowledge to anyone looking into pursuing the industry. Kirn stated. “There’s a lot of opportunity in the transportation industry and this course gives students the opportunity to learn about it and to give them a heads up if they want to get into that industry.”