Spire and Jefferson College are teaming up to help prepare students for careers in the natural gas industry. This fall, Jefferson College students can apply for the Spire Cooperative Education Program at Jefferson College – a two-year educational, hands-on experience that prepares participants to become highly skilled technicians in the natural gas field, while they complete a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) associate’s degree.
To qualify for the program, students must have a 2.5 GPA and complete an interview process.
“We are excited about the opportunity to partner with Jefferson College to help students learn more about natural gas field operations,” said Scott Carter, president of Spire Missouri. “With more people retiring from skilled labor jobs, this co-op experience is designed to ready the next generation with the skills they need to succeed as technicians in the natural gas industry and hopefully work for Spire.”
The co-op program directly aligns with Missouri Governor Mike Parson’s top priority workforce and education initiative, which focuses on providing individuals the knowledge, skills and training necessary to fill in-demand jobs in Missouri.
“The Spire Cooperative Education Program is an exciting initiative that will provide quality learning experiences to prepare future generations for jobs that are in demand,” said Dr. Dena McCaffrey, president of Jefferson College. “We value this innovative partnership with Spire and look forward to the positive impact it will make to enhance Missouri’s skilled workforce.
Helping students achieve career success in programs like HVAC, and other related fields that offer long-term opportunities for employment and professional growth, underscores Jefferson College’s mission in our community and region.”
The co-op experience at Jefferson College is Spire’s second program. The energy provider launched its first program in 2019 at Ranken Technical College and plans to add more co-ops across its service areas.
