Amid a national shortage of 911 operators, Piedmont Community College (PCC) has partnered with Richmond Community College (RCC) to offer a 911 Telecommunications and Operations degree.
Enrolled students will complete 47 hours of the degree at PCC and the final 18 hours online through RCC. Potential career opportunities include local government emergency communication organizations, county sheriff’s departments, 911 emergency dispatch operations and more.
“I’m excited to partner with RCC to bring this degree to our service area,” Dr. Kevin Lee, PCC president said. “This partnership will allow us to play a role in alleviating the national shortage of this crucial career.”
“It is an honor to partner with Piedmont Community College to expand the 911 Communications and Operations program,” Brent Barbee, RCC president said. “We appreciate the leadership provided by Dr. Lee to bring this great career pathway to Piedmont’s service area. We can all benefit by collaborating and promoting community college programs that help our communities and provide jobs for our students.”
PCC will begin offering the degree for the fall 2026 semester, but students can start as early as March as two of the classes will be offered as part of second eight-week classes for the spring 2026 semester. For more information, visit piedmontcc.edu/telecommunications.
Featured photo left to right: Alisa Montgomery, PCC Dean of Health & Public Services; Dr. Kevin Lee, PCC President; Brent Barbee, Richmond CC President; Jamison Sears, Richmond CC 911 Communications & Operations Program Coordinator; Kevin Parsons, Richmond CC Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer

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