Warren County students attend VGCC Carpentry Open House

Students from Warren County High School were among those in attendance at an open house held by the Carpentry program at Vance-Granville Community College in May. WCHS Career and Technical Education teachers Michael Perry and Jonte Hawkins accompanied the group of students.

They visited the shop where Carpentry students train, and toured a house on campus that was built by students. The WCHS students learned about the one-year (three-semester) Carpentry diploma program, and about the jobs that are available for graduates.

According to VGCC Carpentry program head/instructor Keith Tunstall, demand for his graduates is high. During the open house, he introduced some of his current students to speak, including his son, Keith A. Tunstall, who is also a WCHS graduate. Other guest speakers at the open house were local builders, contractors and other employers such as John Terry of Raleigh, a 1988 graduate of the Carpentry program, and Ronnie Exware of Youngsville, a former instructor for the program.

“This is a great course to take and this is a field that will always be needed, because people will always need places to live and they will always need repairs,” said Terry. Exware agreed, saying that he is currently looking to hire additional employees because he has so much business. He said that it is imperative that students gain skills in a program such as VGCC’s, where “they will teach you how to do things the right way the first time.”

Tunstall encouraged all students to continue their education in one field or another. “You can't go wrong knowing how to use your hands,” the program head said. “You have a bright future ahead of you, but you have to make the decision to enhance your opportunities through education.”

For more information about the Carpentry program , call Keith Tunstall at (252) 738-3261 or (252) 213-1266.

 

Above:  VGCC Carpentry program head Keith Tunstall (left) talks to Warren County High School students during the open house. (VGCC photo)

 

Above: Employer John Terry of Raleigh (right) talks about job opportunities with students from Warren County High School during the open house at VGCC. Terry is a 1988 graduate of the Carpentry program. (VGCC photo)