SARANAC LAKE — North Country Community College will provide training this fall for two in-demand career opportunities in the region.

The college is again offering New York State Emergency Medical Technician classes as part of an effort to address a shortage of emergency medical service workers in the North Country. Classes will take place in Malone and Saranac Lake this fall, and in Ticonderoga in the spring.

Separately, NCCC will host a 90-hour wastewater management training course in Saranac Lake this fall. The course, approved by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, was developed to help local municipalities find trained personnel to run their wastewater management systems.

“This is an exciting moment for the college, and we are grateful to all who made it possible, including members of the college community, our county sponsors and community partners,” said NCCC President Joe Keegan. “As the college of Essex County and Franklin County, we are always looking for ways to serve the counties and the region. The addition of these two courses nicely complements our academic offerings, fills critical local needs and has the potential to benefit those who live in and visit the region.”

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Wastewater management training

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The 90-hour Basic Operations course will be presented in 14 modules by both wastewater operator experts and wastewater engineers. It includes in-person presentations, laboratory training and visits to local wastewater treatment facilities. When a student finishes the Basic Operations course, they will satisfy a prerequisite to take the state certification exam and, depending upon their experience and education level, will be able to begin their journey to become a certified wastewater operator.

The average starting salary for wastewater operators in New York state is approximately $52,000.

To register for the Basic Operations course, or for more information, visit www.nccc.edu/wastewater-management.

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EMT program

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NCCC first offered EMS training in 2018, but the program was paused during the coronavirus pandemic. The college recently received approval from the state Department of Health to offer both EMT and Advanced EMT training in Essex and Franklin counties.

Students may enroll in both EMT and AEMT courses as either a non-credit student, non-matriculated (non-degree seeking) student or a matriculated (degree-seeking) student. Matriculated (degree-seeking) students have the option to apply for both federal and state financial aid programs.

Non-credit students who are volunteer members or employees of state EMS agencies at the time of registration may be eligible for a state reimbursement to help cover the cost of tuition.

Students who complete their course requirements will be eligible to take the New York state EMT certification exam and begin their career as an emergency medical professional.

All EMT and Advanced EMT courses are open to the public as well as NCCC students. For more information, visit www.nccc.edu/emstraining.