Piedmont Community College (PCC) is pleased to announce the first graduates from its inaugural Plumbing program.
The Plumbing pathway is a comprehensive program designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in the plumbing industry. This multi-level program covers fundamental concepts, practical techniques, safety protocols, and advanced procedures essential for success as a professional plumber. As students complete each level, they earn industry-recognized credentials through the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER).
The first cohort of students to complete the program started with level one in June 2023. By October 2024, they had earned multiple credentials including OSHA 10, OSHA Forklift, NCCER: CORE-Introduction to Basic Construction Skills, NCCER: Plumbing Level One through Level Four.
Practical training was conducted through various avenues. Beginning with level two, the instructor’s son, Robert Overby, constructed the framing to a mock kitchen and bathroom with a foundation for simulating a crawl space. The addition of this training space allowed students to practically implement and expand upon those skills already being developed over each level of the pathway. This new space proved to be extremely popular with the students as it allowed them to apply their knowledge to a setting that is closer in approximation to what they will encounter out in the field.
Kenton Overby, instructor for the program, has an extensive background in plumbing with more than 50 years of experience. He noted that he would hire each of graduates if he were still working full-time in the plumbing industry. Throughout the program, students had the opportunity to hear from industry experts, including Bob Bacon of Hughes Supply, Larry Tilley of ACME Plumbing and Heating and Rick Whitaker of Brown Brothers Plumbing and Heating, who shared their insights and experiences in the field.
“Serving as director over Piedmont Community College’s plumbing program stands as one of the great pleasures of my career,” Jonathan Willis, PCC Director of Continuing Education, Technical and Manufacturing Programs said. “To have worked with an incredible roster of students, faculty and staff to develop this program to what it is today and to now see the fruits of such labor is a point of considerable pride. Truly, it is a continuous honor to serve our Plumbing students, and I sincerely hope to see many more graduations to come.”
The first course in the plumbing pathway, the Plumbing Academy, was made possible due to considerable funding from the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) and with assistance from the Carolinas Association of General Contractors (CAGC). As enabled by the 2021 Appropriations Act, NCCCS awarded PCC with funds needed to cover instructional supplies, student tuition, textbooks, small tool kits, and to provide a $750 stipend award to students who were dedicated to the program. CAGC was instrumental in providing support services to the college, assisting with marketing efforts, aligning guest speakers and helping to establish a network of resources for not only the instructor, but the students as well. PCC is thankful to NCCCS and CAGC for the program’s incredible success.
“Here at PCC, we strive to serve the workforce needs of our region,” Dr. Barbara Buchanan, PCC Vice President of Instruction/Chief Academic Officer said. “These students have completed multiple industry-recognized certifications and are ready to go to work.”
For more information about PCC’s Plumbing program, visit www.piedmontcc.edu/plumbingprogram.
Pictured left to right: Jonathan Willis, Gary Davis, Wolfgang Huber, Garrison Davis, Luis Vargos Santos, Kenton Overby
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