BCC hopes to attract more metalworking students with new accreditation

LELAND, NC (WWAY) —  Big news for an area college on Thursday. Brunswick County Community College received an important accreditation that is good news for both the school and local industry.

There was a feeling of excitement in the air at BCC as staff, students, and representatives of the local metalworking industry celebrated this big achievement.

BCC president Susanne Adams says the National Institute for Metalworking Skills or “NIMS” accreditation means that metalworking students will now graduate with a certificate of excellence.

For the industries that hire them, it is essentially a guarantee that these individuals have the skills to do the job.

Adams says the school saw the need for metalworkers in the area, and worked together with local businesses in the industry to make this accreditation happen.

“It was a collaboration between Brunswick Community College, as well as with our local industries telling us that they have a need for good metal workers in our area. And of course the top of that is to become NIMS certified,” said Adams.

Chad Yaw, Director of Operations for Quick Release Pins & Accessories or “QRP” in Lelad hopes this will bring more skilled workers to the industry.

“Having NIMS as part of the Brunswick County Community College system will now hopefully attract more students from the high schools into this program. Too often we’re pushing students into a college bound career,” said Yaw.

Adams says part of becoming NIMS certified means industry workers actually inspect and evaluate the products that are made by students.

BCC is now one of three schools in the Southeast Prosperity Zone that is NIMS accredited, and one of ten statewide.