Beginning today, Kellogg Community College is resuming hands-on, in-person instruction in various industrial trades at the College’s Regional Manufacturing Technology Center in Battle Creek.
Over the past several months on all five of its campuses, KCC has implemented safeguards, installed safety measures and adopted guidelines, all of which work together to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that led to nationwide restrictions and an unprecedented campus closure since mid-March. KCC’s full Campus Reopening Plan can be found at www.kellogg.edu/campus-reopening-plan.
While the majority of KCC’s academic instruction during the current summer semester is online, the College as of today is offering students the opportunity to enroll in and complete in-person training modules at the RMTC, a facility that has long served the skilled and industrial trades training needs of the community. Students who want to enter the skilled trades, earn a related degree or hone specific skills can begin training immediately in:
- Welding
- Industrial Technology
- Heating and cooling
- Pipefitting
- Machining
- Electricity and electronics
Between July 13 and Aug. 6, the RMTC’s learning areas will be open to students Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Students should schedule lab time in advance and will be required to practice social distancing and wear facial coverings inside the building. KCC has implemented a variety of safety measures, including installing shields and barriers, limiting occupancy of lab and learning spaces and encouraging students to make appointments.
To schedule appointments or learn more information about accessing programs at the RMTC, visit www.kellogg.edu/industrial.
KCC closed its buildings and facilities in mid-March to all but a limited number of essential personnel, most of whom worked remotely from mid-March until early June. During that time, with faculty and staff working remotely, the College continued to educate students primarily through online classes. The spring semester concluded as scheduled and the summer semester started on time in May, allowing KCC students to continue their college careers with little to no interruption. KCC’s summer semester is continuing through early August with the vast majority of summer classes being conducted online.
Over the past several months, the College launched a host of virtual services, enabling students to complete admissions applications, placement testing, financial aid consultations, class registration, counseling appointments and academic advising sessions online or via telephone, live chat and email. Those virtual services will continue to be available to all students even after the campuses reopen.
College-wide, departments offer in-person services on a first-come, first-served basis and within the reduced occupancy limits of each office space. To ensure service, current and prospective students are advised to schedule an appointment whenever possible prior to arriving. Use the Virtual Services page at www.kellogg.edu/virtualservices to learn more about scheduling options for each department. When preparing for an appointment, students should remember that campus traffic is currently restricted to visitors with official College business.
While campuses reopen this summer, KCC continues to encourage students to sign up for fall classes, which will be offered in a variety of online, hybrid and face-to-face formats that allow for social distancing inside classrooms. The first fall classes begin Aug. 31 and registration is available now. Students are encouraged to sign up for classes as early as possible because space is limited — some classes will have their seats reduced by 50%, for example — and many classes fill up by the start of the semester.
Students new to KCC must fill out an application and verify residency before signing up for classes. Admissions applications can be completed online at www.kellogg.edu/step1.
For the most current information about KCC’s ongoing response and planning during the pandemic, visit www.kellogg.edu/coronavirus.
For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online at https://daily.kellogg.edu/category/news-releases.