PCC OMIC Training Center

09/04/2026

Missed the last Discover Manufacturing session? Don't worry, another one is on the way, and it's the perfect place to start if you're curious about a career in advanced manufacturing but have zero experience.

Here's how it works: Discover Manufacturing is your no-pressure on-ramp into PCC's Pre-Trades for Advanced Manufacturing program. You'll get hands-on with welding, machining, and programmable logic controllers, earn certifications in safety, first aid, and forklift operation, and learn how to build a professional portfolio, all while figuring out if this path is right for you. And the timeline is fast: you can be job ready in just three months. No background needed, just curiosity and a willingness to try something new.

The payoff is real. PCC OMIC grads earn an average starting wage of $24/hour, local employers are actively hiring, and scholarships are available to help you get started. One class could be the first step toward a whole new career.

Ready to explore? Learn more here: https://www.pcc.edu/opportunity-center/jobs/discover-manufacturing/

09/02/2026

Interested in a career that keeps our world moving and cleaner? PCC's Discover Clean Technology program, powered by SHIFT, offers career exploration classes at no cost to you, and all are welcome!

These classes help you build confidence, gain skills, and make a plan for your future in in-demand PCC pathways like Automotive Service Technology, Diesel Service Technology, Facilities Maintenance (HVAC/R), and Apprenticeship & Trades (Pre-Trades). Along the way you'll explore clean tech careers in fleet and facility maintenance, connect with local employers and industry experts, get support with the PCC admissions process, and receive 1-on-1 coaching. Training programs run from three months to two years and lead to entry-level wages starting at $20+.

There's funding support too. The SHIFT Scholarship provides low-barrier funding to under-resourced individuals pursuing careers in fleet and facility maintenance, so cost is one less thing standing between you and a cleaner future. Classes are offered at the Opportunity Center at 42nd, the Willow Creek Opportunity Center, and virtually.

Questions? Reach Arielle Johnson at [email protected] or 971-722-2226.
Learn more and sign up: bit.ly/signupDCT

09/01/2026

Turn your welding skills into a living wage and a career worth staying in! PCC's Maritime Welding program trains you on-site at Vigor's Swan Island shipyard, working alongside the crews who build and repair the fleet. Offered in partnership with Vigor Marine Group, there's no better place to learn than a real, active yard.

The best part? There are three ways in, wherever you're starting from. The Maritime Welding Certificate is a two-year, 87-credit path that starts with the basics and flux cored arc welding, then expands into fabrication, pipe, and certification practice, and it needs no prior welding experience. Already have some skills? Aluminum Welding & Ship Fitting covers GMAW-P for hull and structure work (GMAW experience needed), while Pipe Welding & Pipe Fitting takes on SMAW and GTAW carbon steel pipe plus blueprint reading and pipe spool fabrication (all-position or fabrication experience needed).

Classes run Monday through Thursday, 7 AM to 1 PM, right at the Swan Island shipyard. New to welding or not sure you meet the prerequisites? Ask anyway! Todd can map out exactly what gets you there.

Questions? Reach Todd Barnett at [email protected] or 971-329-6643.
Learn more: pcc.edu/programs/welding

08/29/2026

Have an idea you want to build? The OMIC Fab Lab is here to help you make it real. Tucked into Room 107 at the PCC OMIC Training Center, it's a space for the whole Columbia County community to gather, create, learn, collaborate, and dig into STEAM.

The tools are seriously fun. Think Prusa 3D printers, ShopBot and Carbide CNC routers, universal laser cutters, a printmaking press, a heat press, Cricut cutters, soldering stations, and more. Whether you're prototyping a part, screen printing a shirt, laser cutting a sign, or just curious to try something new, there's a machine and a project waiting for you. And it's open to makers of all ages and skill levels, so no experience is required, just curiosity.

Want to stop by? Check the open lab hours and calendar on the page below, and reach coordinator Sarah Burns at [email protected] with any questions. Come make something!

Explore the Fab Lab: https://www.pcc.edu/maker/omic-fab-lab/

08/28/2026

Mentorship changes everything. At our ADIM event back in February, 42% of our panelists pointed to a lack of encouragement and role models as the number one confidence gap early in a career. That's a powerful reminder of how much showing up for the next generation really matters.

Here's the good news: supporting future talent is easier than you might think, and it starts with getting involved. Every time an industry partner joins us for events like Manufacturing Day and ADIM, or hosts a student through the Columbia Works Internship program, they become the role model and encouragement that helps a young person picture a future in this field. Sometimes one conversation is all it takes to change a trajectory.

This insight came out of our latest ADIM event, and we can't wait for the next one! If you're an employer who wants to help close that confidence gap, we'd love to have you at the table for the upcoming Manufacturing Day 2026! Learn more here: https://www.pcc.edu/events/manufacturing-day/

08/27/2026

Educators, here's what your students can look forward to at Manufacturing Day 2026! Bring this to your classroom and let them see what's waiting for them at the PCC OMIC Training Center on Friday, October 2.

Picture this from a student's point of view: you walk in and trade the classroom for a real advanced manufacturing floor. Throughout the morning you rotate through hands-on workshops, striking an arc at a welding booth, watching a CNC machine carve metal, and getting creative with STEAM and Fab Lab activities. In between, you explore an open floor of industry tables where real professionals show you what they build and how they got there. You grab your event passport and collect a stamp at each stop, and a full passport enters you in a prize raffle. Lunch is on us, and no experience is needed, just curiosity and a willingness to try something new.

For a lot of students, this is the first time a career in manufacturing clicks from "something other people do" into "something I could actually see myself doing." And even for students who already know exactly what they want to do, this day can open up avenues they never knew existed. That spark is the whole point.

Educators, this is your invitation to bring that experience to your students. Space is limited and fills fast, so grab your spot soon!

Learn more and register your class: https://www.pcc.edu/events/manufacturing-day/

08/25/2026

Ready to build a career in advanced manufacturing? Fall enrollment is open at PCC, and the OMIC Training Center in Scappoose is a fantastic place to start. Heads up: fall term applications are due by September 9, so now's the time!

Here's a taste of what you can study at OMIC. Our Pre-Trades for Advanced Manufacturing certificate gets you hands-on with welding, machining, and programmable logic controllers, and job ready in about three months. Machine Manufacturing Technology dives deep into CAD/CAM, CNC, and precision machining. Welding Technology builds the skills and certifications employers are hiring for right now. And our Fab Lab is open to makers of all ages for hands-on creativity and free workshops. PCC OMIC grads earn an average starting wage of $24/hour, and classes run all four terms with scholarships available.

Getting started is simple: apply (it's free and takes just a few minutes), complete orientation, set up your MyPCC account, finish placement, and register for classes.

Ready to jump in? Start your application here: https://www.pcc.edu/enroll/ -time

08/21/2026

Big shout out to our friends at Hangsterfer's Metalworking Fluids! We were thrilled to be featured in Episode 5 of their Monthly L**E series, filmed at last year's Manufacturing Day, and it's a great look at what makes our Machine Manufacturing Technology program tick.

In this clip, one of our instructors shares how programming a CNC machine can feel a lot like playing a video game, which makes it a perfect fit for students who love tech, logic, and hands-on creativity. It's exactly the kind of framing that helps a new maker see themselves in this field.

Partners like Hangsterfer's are a huge part of how we keep our training relevant, engaging, and future-focused. Thank you for shining a light on our students and instructors, and for being such a great partner to the OMIC Training Center!

And with that, we're already gearing up for this year's Manufacturing Day! Want to learn more or get involved? Head to https://www.pcc.edu/events/manufacturing-day/

Watch last year's clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KCch99WE8M

For National Manufacturing Day, students are invited to explore the...

08/20/2026

Attention English Language Learners: it's not too late to start your welding career! PCC's Integrated Education & Training (IET) program is kicking off its 5th year of the Wire Welding Program this fall, and there's still room for you.

The program runs September 21, 2026 through March 18, 2027, with in-person classes Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10 PM at the Rock Creek Campus. Classes are taught in English and are built to help you prepare for an entry-level welding position, earn a PCC Wire Welding Career Pathway Certificate, and build the English language skills you'll use on the job. You'll also get individualized coaching and job search assistance along the way.

A few things to know: tuition assistance and scholarships are available, and you'll need placement into ESOL Level 5 Reading, Writing, and Communication (or higher) to be eligible for this cohort. Space is limited, so a lottery may be used to select participants.

Interested? Sign up for the info session here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfk8-ntpsq6wlJ_pLnpgvvQSOrlP0OhmioJJBcymVsU8wnTAQ/viewform

08/18/2026

Grab some paper and let's make something loud! The OMIC Training Center Fab Lab is throwing a Zine & Bookmaking Workshop on Friday, August 21, from 1 to 4 PM, and your weird, wonderful ideas are the whole point.

So what's a zine? It's a short, self-published booklet made to share art, ideas, writing, whatever you've got burning to get out. Long before the internet, zines were how independent voices cut through the noise and got their ideas into people's hands, no permission needed. You'll dig into the history and DIY spirit behind them, then build your own one-of-a-kind sketchbook to keep.

True to Fab Lab form, it's free, no registration, and open to makers of all ages and abilities (youth under 16 with adult supervision). Just show up and make something that's entirely yours!

The Fab Lab lives in the PCC OMIC Training Center, 34001 NE Wagner Ct, Scappoose, OR 97056.
Learn more: pcc.edu/maker