Geotech

Students who obtain the Geotech Certificate will be qualified for entry-level employment opportunities with local government agencies, private firms, and utilities specializing in water resources and water quality, engineering geology, petroleum resources, environmental hazards and remediation and other geotechnical services. Certificate earners will receive hands-on training in field and lab skills necessary for a variety of geotechnical careers.  There are no prerequisite skills for the certificate and enrollment will be limited only by available space in the core classes.  The Geotech Certificate will allow students to qualify for positions in the geotechnical sector prior to or without obtaining a 4-year degree.

Enrollment Completer Projection is 12-18 students per cohort which occurs every four semesters; we anticipate enrolling 18 new students annually.  Enrollment data on the required certificate courses are the following:

Students who obtain the Geotech Certificate will increase their chances of entry-level employment with local government agencies, private firms, and utilities specializing in geotechnical support services, water resources, water quality, engineering geology, petroleum resources, environmental hazards, and environmental remediation. Students pursuing the Geotech Certificate will be trained in the use of geotechnical analytical devices for field and lab applications; acquire content knowledge and technical/quantitative reasoning/communication skills necessary for geotechnical jobs; practice proper water and soil sample collection protocols; learn the proper methods for dealing with common hazardous materials and learn about proper sample chain of custody methods. The content knowledge and skills acquired in the context of completing the Geotech Certificate will allow students to qualify for positions in the geotechnical and environmental sectors prior to or without obtaining a 2-year or 4-year degree. 

The goal of this program is to prepare students for entry-level positions in a variety of entry-level positions in the geotechnical and environmental sectors. Many of these jobs are dynamic and lead to a variety of very high-paying career tracks with additional training and education.  Some of these career tracks would require students earning a higher education degree after identifying a career of interest.  However, a number of high-paying career tracks would be accessible without a four-year degree.

In order to design the selection of courses for the certificate, we individually surveyed all 19 advisory board members as well as 6 other individuals. Most of those surveyed work in or have worked in the sectors for which the certificate will prepare students to work.  The survey instrument included questions about 12 core classes identified by early advisors and us, as well as questions about skills to include in geotechnical methods classes. As a part of this process we considered what was necessary, at minimum, to prepare competitive students for jobs in a number of highly dynamic career tracks.  The curriculum will also prepare students for immediate or future transfer into four-year geoscience degrees.

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