As the first step in becoming a National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) accredited institution, four Front Range Community College Precision Machining instructors have earned Level 1 certification
Two others have earned Certificates of Merit as they advance toward Level 1 status, and two other department personnel have earned credentials in areas of their responsibilities.
Level 1 certifications have been awarded to George Deeb, Keith Gregory, Larry Hartman, and George Wood.
Certificates of Merit have been awarded to Paul Austin and Zoltan Brindzik. Chris Lindenberger and Harold Meloy Jr. each earned three credentials. In total, 57 credentials were earned. To earn NIMS accreditation, all FRCC instructors must earn credentials in the skill areas in which they teach.
NIMS awards credentials on satisfactory completion of performance tests and theory exams. An examiner from the Virginia-based NIMS spent a week at FRCC’s Advanced Technology Center in December 2015 to test the staff.
“I felt fortunate to spend a week with the amazingly talented group of instructors, each with a specialized skill set that complements the program of study and gives potential students the chance to learn from a very dedicated, prepared, and professional team of experts,” the examiner wrote in his report to the college.
To earn Level 1 status, the instructors demonstrated competence in 11 metalworking areas, from measurement, materials, and safety to manual milling, grinding, and drill press skills, to computer-numeric-controlled (CNC) skills in programming setup and operations for turning and milling machines. A Certificate of Merit is awarded upon demonstrating competency in at least seven metalworking areas. Credentials for the others came after demonstrating competence in specific areas building to Level 1 status.
NIMS is the only developer of American National Standards for the nation’s metalworking industry accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
FRCC students have begun earning NIMS credentials in various skill areas. In the past two semesters, 18 students earned a total of 37 certificates. These certificates provide employers with an indication of a candidate’s skill level.
About Front Range Community College
FRCC offers nearly 100 degree and certificate programs from locations in Boulder County, Larimer County, Westminster, and Brighton, and online.
FRCC is a member of the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), the state’s largest system of higher education, with 13 colleges across Colorado serving more than 151,000 students annually. CCCS is a vital statewide pathway to individual achievement and economic vitality. Further, CCCS institutions provide an accessible, responsive learning environment that facilitates the achievement of educational, professional, and personal goals by our students and other members of our communities, and each fosters an atmosphere that embraces academic excellence, diversity, and innovation.
