Fletcher Technical Community College Celebrated New Workforce and Nursing Training Facility with Groundbreaking Ceremony

Fletcher Technical Community College turned dirt today for a new workforce and nursing training facility that will continue to grow the college’s mission and meet the community’s needs.

Fletcher currently has 13 nursing and allied health programs. They serve 185 pre-nursing and allied health students and, as many know, the demand for skilled nursing and allied health professionals is high for the region. Fletcher offers an Associate’s in Nursing, Cardiopulmonary Care Science, Electrocardiograph Technician, LPN to ASN, Medical Clinical Assistant, Medical Laboratory Technician, Nursing Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Phlebotomy, Practical Nursing, Surgical Technology, and Workforce Health and Medical Courses. Over the past year and a half, the nursing department has seen multiple accreditations and contains high standards and quality needed to provide the community with the best workforce possible.

Dr. Danielle Vauclin, Dean of Nursing and Allied Health, proudly shared the accomplishments that the department has seen. The nursing assistant program was found to be compliant for all nurse training programs and had no recommendations, the EKG students have had a 100 percent pass rate on their exams, the phlebotomy program has retained over 93 percent pass rate on exams, cardiopulmonary care science has maintained a 100 percent pass rate on exams, and surgical tech program has maintained over 90 percent pass rate on their exams in the past year and a half. These are just a few examples used to showcase the importance of the nursing program and the effect it has on the area’s workforce.

Part of the funding for the new facility has come from a list of local donors. Fletcher Technical Community College Chancellor, Dr. Kristine Strickland, thanked the following donors for contributing back into the community through this facility: Valentine Chemicals, The Kenneth Wood Family, LLC, Michel Claudet, Gaubert Oil, The Contractors Educational Trust Fund, Danos, Cannata’s Family Market, Robert E. Kelton, The Peltier Foundation, Right Away Maintenance Company, LLC, Fourchon Oilman’s Association, Mary and Al Danos Foundation, Synergy Bank, Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government, James J. Bouquet Jr. Family Foundation, John Deere, South Central Industrial Association, Terrebonne General Health Systems, and Oschner Health Systems.

Dr. Strickland also thanked the federal and state officials for helping along with the U.S. Department of Commerce of Economic Development Association for an EDA grant that will help supply funds for the facility. Acts 360, which is the Louisiana local government environmental and facilities community development authority, also helped in the funding process.

Representatives Beryl Amedee, Jerome ‘Zee’ Zeringue, and Joseph Orgeron, Senator Michael Fesi, Ochsner Bayou Region CEO Tim Allen, and Terrebonne General Health System CEO Phyllis Peoples also spoke on the importance of the new facility. 

Peoples poetically put the purpose into words, “There are two words that come to mind: challenge and inspire. We have to challenge ourselves as leaders, as people in our community to make sure the foundation of what we’re doing today goes down to our kids and grandkids, and we get to keep people home. If they want to stay here, give them an opportunity, inspire. To all those students that are here today, I hope you’re inspired to go into healthcare or get an education to give your talents back to our community. I hope that you’re willing to be in this building to use it as a tool and as an opportunity presented so that you can give back to the next generation because the building is bricks and mortar. It is no more without your commitment and ingenuity to make it more.”