The Workforce & Continuing Education Department offers specialized training courses that can get you started in a new career quickly or help you advance in your current career.  These are noncredit courses. They do not apply toward a credit degree, credit certificate, or academic transfer.  Many of the Workforce and Continuing Education courses can lead to a nationally recognized certificate or state credential.  Upon completion, students receive a Victoria College Certificate of Completion. Students are not required to apply for admission to the college or take entrance exams for these noncredit courses. 

For more information about any of the courses listed below, including specific course dates, times and admission requirements, please view the current Workforce & Continuing Education Schedule. Students can register and pay in person in the Workforce & Continuing Education Department, via mail by filling out the registration form and submitting with payment, or by calling (361) 582-2528 to register and pay over the phone.

Industrial Training 

These courses are taught in progressive levels using the nationally recognized Contren™ curriculum, which was developed by the National Center for Construction and Research (NCCER). These courses provide competency-based, task-driven modular training and are designed to maximize learning by combining illustrated instructional materials and structured classroom activities conducted by craft instructors.

Online courses

VC also offers Workforce & Continuing Education courses online. See the schedule here.

Core Curriculum - Introductory Craft Skills

Prerequisite:  None
Core Curriculum - Introductory Craft Skills is common to all NCCER Training Programs and is required for NCCER Certification for all Level 1 courses.  No prior experience necessary. Students will not receive NCCER certifications for any industrial course unless this course has been successfully completed.  Topics include:

• Introduction to basic safety
• Communication and basic employability skills
• Blue prints and construction math
• Hand and power tools  

Electrical Level 1

Prerequisite:  Core Curriculum - Introductory Craft Skills
This course provides an introduction to the electrical trade. Topics include: 

• Introduction to electrical circuits, theory, and safety 
• Introduction to the National Electrical Code®
• Conductors and cable, device boxes, hand bending
• Residential electrical services

Electrical Level 2

Prerequisite:  Electrical Level 1
A study in alternating current, motors, theory, and application. Topics include:

• Circuit breakers and fuses
• Conductor installations, terminations and splices
• Conduit bending
• Grounding and bonding
• Pull and junction boxes 

Electrical Level 3

Prerequisite:  Electrical Level 2
This course is a study of the principles of operation of single- and three-phase motors and transformers. Topics include:

• Ground fault
• Protective devices
• Short circuit, size overcurrent
• Transformer banking
• Wye and Delta connections  

Electrical Level 4

Prerequisite:  Electrical Level 3
This course provides an advanced study in load calculations – feeders and services, health care facilities, standby, and emergency systems. Topics include:

• Advanced controls, fire alarm systems; HVAC controls
• Heat tracing and freeze protection
• Motor operation and maintenance
• Medium-voltage terminations/splices
• Specialty transformers  

Electrical License Renewal

Prerequisite:  Hold Electrical License through the state of Texas
This course is required to be completed every year prior to license renewal and may be repeated multiple times to improve student proficiency.  Topics include:

• Review of the latest edition of the National Electric Code and notable revisions
• Review of electrical licensing requirement
• Review of state laws that regulate the conduct of licensed electricians 

Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) Level 1

Prerequisite:  Core Curriculum:  Introductory Craft Skills
This introductory course covers heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) principles. Topics include:

• Introduction to cooling and heating, basic electricity 
• Air distributing systems
• Copper and plastic piping practices, soldering and brazing
• Trade mathematics
• Ferrous metal piping practices  

Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) Level 2

Prerequisites:  HVAC Level 1
This is an intermediate HVAC course. Topics include:

• Basic installation and maintenance practices, basic electronics
• Introduction troubleshooting control circuit, gas heating and cooling
• Commercial airside systems chimneys, vents, and flues
• Air quality equipment
• Leak detection, evacuation, recovery, and charging
• Fiberglass and flexible duct systems 

Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) Level 3

Prerequisite:  HVAC Level 2
This is an intermediate HVAC course and is a continuation of HVAC Level 2. Topics include:

• A study of refrigerants and oils
• Compressors, metering devices
• Retail refrigeration systems, commercial hydronic systems
• Planned maintenance
• Troubleshooting electronic controls, oil heating, heating pumps, and accessories

Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) Level 4

Prerequisite:  HVAC Level 3
This course is an advanced study of HVAC. Topics include:

• Construction drawings and specifications
• System balancing
• Energy conservation equipment, building management systems
• System startup and shutdown
• Commercial and industrial refrigeration systems
• Alternative heating and cooling systems

EPA Technician Certification 

• Type 1 Certification - working on small appliances
• Type 2 Certification - working on medium, high and very-high pressure appliances
• Type 3 Certification - working on low pressure appliances

Millwright Level 1

Prerequisite: Core Curriculum:  Introductory Craft Trades
This course provides an introductory study of millwright. Topics include:

• Orientation to the trade
• Millwright hand tools
• Fasteners and anchors, gaskets and O-rings
• Basic layout
• Oxy-fuel cutting

Millwright Level 2

Prerequisite:  Millwright Level 1
This course provides an intermediate study of millwright. Topics include:

• Intermediate trade math
• Field sketching
• Intermediate blueprint reading
• Millwright power and specialty tools
• Setting base and soleplates
• Introduction to bearings

Pipefitting Level 1

Prerequisite:  Core Curriculum:  Introductory Craft Skills
This course provides a comprehensive overview of work performed by the pipefitter. Topics include:

• Pipefitter responsibilities and career opportunities
• Safety principles associated with the pipefitting trade
• Pipefitting hand tool and power tools
• Oxy-fuel cutting
• Ladders and scaffolds, and motorized equipment 

Pipefitting Level 2

Prerequisite:  Pipefitting Level 1
This intermediate course provides study in piping systems. Topics include:

• Drawings and detail sheets
• Identifying and installing valves, pipefitting trade math, threaded pipe fabrication 
• Socket weld pipe fabrication, butt weld pipe fabrication
• Excavations, underground pipe installation

Welding 1

Prerequisite:  Core Curriculum:  Introductory Craft Skills
The course provides an introductory study of basic welding processes.   Students will demonstrate machine setup and complete welds and cutting operations. Topics include:

• Basic shop safety
• Identification of types of electrodes used in welding process
• Identifying various welding and cutting standards
• Oxy-Fuel Welding (OFW) and cutting
• Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)
• Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)
• Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)  

Welding 2

Prerequisite:  Welding Level 1
This course is an intermediate study of welding.  Students will perform air carbon arc washing and gouging activities; explain plasma arc cutting equipment and safe work area, demonstrate setup and use GMAW, FCAW, and GTAW equipment. Topics include:

• Reading details drawings, welding symbols
• Stainless steel grove and pipe welds
• Air carbon arc cutting
• Plasma Arc Cutting (PAC)
• Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) 
• Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)
• Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)

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