FVCC steadily growing

The spring semester at Flathead Valley Community College in Lincoln County is set for Jan. 17, with a deadline to apply on Jan. 9.

According to Diane Skyland, the Director of Marketing & Communications at FVCC, the headcount in the fall of this year was 156, with a full-time equivalent being 73.9.

That’s a 32.2 percent increase from the fall of 2016, during which they had 54.2 full-time students. Their enrollment numbers, Skyland said, have increased over the last 10 years.

The campus offers degrees such as Associate of Arts, Associate of Science and Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration, Health Care Office Management, Medical Coding, Small Business Management and Support Professional: Management.

They also offer a Certificate of Applied Science degrees (CAS) in Accounting Technology, Entrepreneurship and Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN). They also offer Certificate of Technical Studies (CTS) or Licensure (L) in Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning, (HVAC) – Fully Online (CTS), Patient Relations Specialist (CTS) and Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).

While they have many for-credit classes for those looking to attain a degree, they also have non-credit courses for those interested in a particular craft or hobby, like quilting, fly-fishing and yoga.

On top of the degrees they offer, they also work closely with workforce development in the area. Their Workforce Development programs provide educational development to teachers in the Lincoln County public schools, and create hazardous materials training programs for asbestos cleanup.

The college also offers learning opportunities for the area high school students through the Running Start program that offers students college credits to take while still in school.

Through their adult education program, students can attain their high school diploma, or increase their math, reading and writing skills.