Welcome to the ninth edition of Northland Pioneer College’s CareerFocus magazine, sharing student success stories and articles about the programs and learning opportunities that are changing the lives of area residents.

This issue focuses on one of our most successful career-training programs: welding. In partnership with the Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT), welding instruction is offered in Holbrook, Show Low and St. Johns. Our welding graduates are in high demand, working at CAID Industries, the Palo Verde Nuclear Power Station and in the oil fields of Texas and Wyoming.

We also look at College and Career Preparation (CCP), where adults can hone the skills needed to earn their high school equivalency diploma (GED®) and returning adult students can refresh skills before tackling college courses. An offshoot of CCP is the Integrated Education and Training (IET) program, where students apply the skills needed to complete their GED in the construction trades, building tiny homes that will house cadets in NPC’s Law Enforcement Academy. And you’ll read about the associate dean over these programs, Gail Campbell, who is a competitive barrel racer.

Our mission at NPC is to provide, support and promote lifelong learning. That is what transforms lives, improves our communities and makes northeastern Arizona such a wonderful place to live and work. 

If you have any questions about NPC programs or services, visit our website, www.npc.edu, or visit any of our nine locations in northeastern Arizona. Our staff will greet you with a smile and connect you with the right person to answer your questions.

– Mark Vest, President