In the near future, trees on Southwestern Community College’s campus will be the focus of a selective pruning and trimming project. And while the college will gain this service gratis, a group of Oconaluftee Job Corps Center students will gain valuable skills training and experience.

According to Chuck Reece, SCC director of Human Resources and Facilities Development, the project is the first of several landscaping initiatives that will be carried out by the students under the direction of David Hatton, certified arborist and SCC occupational landscape instructor at OJCC in Cherokee.

“We’ve discussed a number of potential projects or outdoor labs that would serve both our campus needs and the landscaping class’ need for on-the-job training,” Reece said.

Other potential arboriculture projects include ascertaining whether campus hemlock trees infested with wooly adelgid can be treated and saved.

Recently Hatton and his student crew toured the SCC campus to study these and other landscaping needs of the campus.

“In addition to the trees, we wanted to explore the potential for installing perennial beds on the campus,” Hatton said. “Such a project could provide the students practical experience in designing a bed, prepping the soil and planting the bed.”

“Working with Chuck Reece and Anthony Henson, we determined there are several projects that will serve the college’s landscaping needs and provide the class with great hands-on experience. In addition, the college will provide the materials and any support we may need from the grounds crew. It’s definitely a win-win proposition.”

The relationship between OJCC and Southwestern Community College is also a win-win proposition. As a national, primarily residential training program, Job Corps’ mission is to attract eligible young adults, teach them the skills they need to become employable and independent, and place them in meaningful jobs or further education. Oconaluftee Job Corp Center is administered by the National Parks Service for the U.S. Department of Labor. It is designed for young people, ages 16 through 24. At OJCC, students enroll to learn a trade, earn a high school diploma or GED and get help finding a good job.

Through a collaborative agreement, SCC provides GED classes and instruction; job training skills in landscaping, health occupations and business/clerical programs; and career and life skills counseling on site at the Center.

To learn more about SCC and its programs, visit the SCC web site at www.southwesterncc.edu. And for more information on Oconaluftee Job Corps, contact Scott Sutton at 828.497.7233.