Stories @ TCAT

TCAT Dickson’s Clarksville campus expands programs

By: Janine Wine

Communications and Marketing Coordinator

TCAT Dickson

CLARKSVILLE, TN: Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Dickson (TCAT Dickson) has announced the expansion of two of its existing programs at the Clarksville campus to meet the growing demands of the Clarksville Montgomery County area and surrounding communities.

The Computer Information Technology (CIT) and Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HAC) programs have had extensive waitlists causing some students to wait nearly 20 months before starting the programs.

New instructors were hired to begin teaching two new classes this month increasing the total enrollment of both programs from 20 to 40 students each. Gabriel Nunez has been tapped as the new instructor for CIT while Michael Clark will lead the new HAC class.

Nunez is a graduate of two TCAT programs – Computer Information Technology in 2020 and Mechatronics in 2022. While a student, Nunez served as Vice President of SkillsUSA at the Clarksville campus. He also received the Chancellor’s Commendation for Veterans award. Previously, Nunez taught special industry classes at the Clarksville campus and served as a substitute instructor.

“I am an Army combat veteran and was a first-time father with a 10-year school gap as I went through the CIT program and graduated. This is a testament that if you want something you can achieve it no matter what the obstacles. I fell in love with the role instructors play in guiding the next generation in their dreams and goals,” Nunez explained.

Clark has been an instructor for the Clarksville Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) Early Technical College (ETC) located on TCAT Dickson’s Clarksville campus. More recently he has served as the TCAT Dickson assistant instructor in Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration making the transition to full-time instructor seamless.

A 20-year Army veteran, Clark said, “It is my passion to teach. There is tremendous job satisfaction when a student becomes fully certified and knowing I was a part of their educational growth.”

Clark is also a graduate of TCAT Dickson’s Mechatronics Multicraft Technician program (2021); Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration program (2022); and Welding Technology program (2024).

TCAT Dickson President Laura Travis expressed her excitement regarding the two program expansions.

“The expansion of these programs will assist area employers in meeting their needs for skilled employees. We are excited for the opportunities this provides our current and future students,” Travis said.

The CIT program is a 20-month program designed to provide students with knowledge of software, hardware, and operations of personal computers, servers, networking, and security operations. While enrolled, students learn how hardware and software work together, hardware assembly and repair, backup strategies, email communications, configurations of computers and related devices, how to apply critical thinking, diagnostics, and trouble shooting.

Students can obtain twelve different certifications from CompTIA, MD, Microsoft, and AWS among others.

HAC is a 12-month program that includes theory, application, and services of air conditioning, and refrigeration equipment. Students learn print reading, basic electronics, pneumatics, math, programmable controllers, refrigerant containment, and heat pump technology.

In addition to a Section 608 EPA Certification, and an NC3 Meter Certification, students will also have the ability to obtain nearly 20 HVAC Excellence/ESCO certifications.

For more information on any of the 17 different programs offered on TCAT Dickson’s four campuses please visit the website at TCATDickson.edu or call 615-441-6220. Tours are free.

TCAT Dickson is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution, is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education, and complies with non-discrimination laws: Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, and ADA. Located on Highway 46 in Dickson, the technical training college also has extension campuses in Clarksville, and Franklin. Additional information about the school is located at www.TCATDickson.edu.