Gila Community College’s new Fixed Plant Maintenance Technician program is moving from the planning phase into active development, following the award of a $75,000 grant from Freeport-McMoRan’s Community Investment Fund. The funding allows the college to begin building the hands-on training environment that will anchor the program.
According to college officials, GCC has spent several months working with industry partners to shape a curriculum based on real-world fixed-plant operations. Core coursework has been established, training modules are being finalized, and preliminary planning for the instructional lab is underway.
The majority of the grant funds will be used to purchase industry-grade equipment, including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic and process-control systems commonly found in fixed-plant operations. The goal, according to GCC, is for students to train on the same types of equipment they will encounter in the workforce, rather than relying solely on simulations.
Ernie Baca has been hired to lead development of the program, including curriculum design, lab setup and instructional structure for both Globe-Miami students and those enrolled through Cobre Valley Institute of Technology (CVIT). As part of that process, Baca will also visit established programs across Arizona to compare instructional models and align GCC’s program with current industry standards.
College officials say the program is intended to create a direct, local pathway into high-skill, high-wage industrial careers for both high school students and adult learners. Locally, the program is expected to support workforce needs throughout the Copper Corridor.
The Fixed Plant Maintenance Technician program is scheduled for full implementation in Fall 2026. If funded and built as planned, it would mark one of GCC’s most significant recent investments in industrial workforce training.
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