Porter and Chester Institute - Chicopee

Concrete Skills:
You’ll be trained to diagnose and repair all major vehicle components including engines, electronics, fuel and emission systems, transmissions, and body control systems. You’ll also learn how to boost vehicle performance and keep cars in tip-top shape.
Hands-on Training:
In addition to classroom instruction, you’ll spend a lot of time in our auto shops where you’ll get to work on real cars with real problems. We’ll test your skills with training models, but you’ll also get to work on real vehicles with the wear and tear you’d see in an actual service station. We equip our auto shops with scan tools, computer diagnostic oscilloscopes, emissions diagnostic equipment, computerized alignment machines, brake lathes, valve grinding machinery, wheel balancing equipment, and specialized pneumatic and hand tools.
Qualified Instructors:
Our instructors are all ASE Certified Master Technicians with years of professional experience. They are knowledgeable on a wide variety of vehicle makes and models. They are also friendly, caring, and committed to your success. They’ll treat you like your employer would, with respect and confidence in your ability to get the job done.
Job Outlook:
With more than 273 million cars on the road today, there are plenty of cars on the road that could make into your shop. The automotive training you will receive at Porter and Chester Institute will prepare you to work in dealerships, repair facilities and specialty shops. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, there were over 770,000 automotive technician jobs in 2018. Expect little to no change through 2028.Soft Skills:
In addition to motor vehicle knowledge, you’ll learn auto technician soft skills to interact with customers with professionalism. And we’ll teach you what it means to be a good employee in a real-world setting.

Concrete Skills:
We’ll teach you the fundamentals you need to know about electricity, electrical code and safety. Then, we’ll teach you a whole lot more –like how to install electrical power distribution systems, how to wire and connect circuitry and how to work on motors, transformers, generators and the electronic systems in mechanical tools.

Hands-on Training:
It’s not just what you learn; it’s also how you learn it. If you’re a hands-on learner, then you’ll appreciate all the time you’ll get to spend out of the classroom and in the lab working on real electrical units with actual industry equipment.

Road to Licensure:
At our Massachusetts campuses, our electrician classes will help you understand the National Electrical Code and the Massachusetts Amendments and help you prepare to take the Class B Journeyman Electrician exams.

Job Outlook:
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, electricians can expect to see faster than average job growth through 2029. And as an electrician, you could work across a wide range of market sectors in residential, commercial, municipal and industrial settings.

Soft Skills:
We’ll teach you more than just core electrician training; we’ll also help you understand how to work with professionals and customers in the industry. At Porter and Chester Institute, we’re proud of our students because they make great employees! Are you ready to get to work?

Computer Drafting Software:
At Porter and Chester Institute, you’ll learn by doing, working with the same quality software that is used in professional architecture and engineering departments. You’ll work with programs like AutoCAD, SolidWorks and Revit, and you’ll also learn the fundamentals of design, construction, and manufacturing so that you understand the practical application of what you are doing in the classroom and on the computer.

2D and 3D Computer Drafting and Design Techniques:
Gain experience with 2D and 3D drafting techniques, including parametric modeling. A parametric model allows you to change a single feature of a model, while its other components adjust accordingly to maintain consistency between elements. Parametric modeling is a must-have skill for professional computer drafters and designers.

Qualified Instructors:
All our instructors are Computer Aided Drafting and Design professionals. They have actually worked in the field - so you benefit from their real-world knowledge.
Job Outlook:
Today, everything seems to be generated on a computer before it moves into production. That’s why your newly acquired skills could be such an asset in the job market. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, there were almost 200,000 drafting jobs in 2018. Expect this to remain constant through 2028.

Career Outcomes:
The Computer Aided Drafting and Design training program gives you the fundamental drafting skills necessary for entry-level employment. Typical entry-level job titles are detailer, drafter, junior designer, and CAD operator.

After you gain entry-level experience, you may specialize in one of these CADD fields:

Architectural structures (homes, buildings)
Mechanical equipment (tools, machinery)
Space and aeronautics
Boats and ships
Mechanical systems design
Industrial design

Concrete Skills:
Through our intensive HVACR training, you’ll learn to work on the gas, oil and electric heating, cooling and refrigeration systems used in homes and businesses across the country.

Hands-on Training:
If you learn best by doing, then our HVACR program is for you! Your classroom work is supplemented by hands-on work using the actual analytical equipment you’ll find in the field.

Qualified Instructors:
Our instructors are all professionals from the HVACR industry. They know how to teach, but more importantly they know what you’re likely to encounter once you’re out on the job. Their years of experience and connections to employers make them an invaluable resource to you and your career.

Job Outlook:
Job opportunities for HVACR technicians are expected to be good. Candidates familiar with tablet computers and electronics, as well as those who have developed troubleshooting skills, will have the best job prospects.

Certification:
As a part of their program, students in our HVACR program have the opportunity to earn their OSHA 30 certification and their EPA Section 608A certification.

Soft Skills:
In addition to learning the nuts-and-bolts of the industry, you’ll learn how to interact with customers with professionalism. We’ll teach you what it means to be a good employee in a real world setting.

Job Outlook:
Computers are everywhere and they all need to be set up, maintained and fixed when things go wrong. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs as a computer support specialist are expected to grow 8% through 2029. And our computer training classes will teach you the training you need to work in fields like business, education, healthcare, finance and much more!

Concrete Skills:
You’ll be trained to install computer hardware and software. You’ll learn all about operating systems, networking interface components, cabling and connectivity. You’ll learn how to connect computers to company intranets and the Internet and how to maintain, test, evaluate and perform routine updates to them and their networks. You’ll also learn the importance of network administration and security and how to help companies run and protect their data.

Hands-on Training:
The hallmark of all our programs is hands-on learning. Your work station will replicate what you might find in the field and you’ll get to learn by doing –not just from reading about theories in a book.

Certifications:
The computer networking technology training you receive will help prepare you for certification in A+, MCP and Network+, which are the nationally recognized standards of leading IT employers.

Soft Skills:
In addition to computer knowledge, you’ll learn how to present yourself as a professional in today’s work environment. We’ll teach you what it means to be a good employee in a real world setting.

Blended Learning Opportunities:
In an effort to create a more flexible learning environment, the program is offered in a Hybrid format, with lecture online and hands-on labs on campus. This “blended learning” delivery method allows you to learn information online, at your convenience, and then put those corresponding skills into practice on-campus in the lab. Students choose Days or Evenings for their lab schedule.

Hands-on Training:
The Dental Assisting classrooms and labs feature the same equipment and technology you find in dental office and clinics. You learn how to assist dentists in a dental operatory, take radiographs, mix dental materials, exercise proper infection control and sterilization, use model trimmers, take vital signs, and provide patient education. As part of the in-class training, you also work with Dentrix dental software. The lab environment uses mannequin heads to foster a real-life environment.

Dental Assisting Externships:
The final term of the Dental Assisting program is an externship course where you complete 335 hours of an unpaid externship. Apply what you learn in the program to a dental office, clinic, or other facility settings.

Prepare for Dental Assisting Certification Exams
The Dental Assisting program prepares you for certification exams from the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB.) You will have the background to take these optional exams any time after completing the corresponding coursework. Your tuition costs cover the cost of these exams.
DANB Radiation Health and Safety Exam
Infection Control Exam
You can apply these two exams toward the Certified Dental Assisting (CDA) exam. To earn your CDA, you will also need to pass the General Chairside Assisting exam. Please note that you will not be eligible to take this exam until you can document 3,500 hours of work in the field.

Job Outlook:
Dental assistants play pivotal roles in dental offices and other settings. As such, there is often demand for skilled and trained professionals. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were more than 350,000 dental assistant jobs in 2019. This number is expected to grow by 7% through 2029, a rate that is faster than average.

Patient Care Skills:
We’ll teach you the clinical skills you need to become an important member of a healthcare team. From taking patient histories and serving as patient-physician liaison to performing actual medical tests like blood draws, lab procedures and EKGs, you’ll learn what you need in order to provide direct patient care.

Healthcare Administration Skills:
We’ll teach you the ins-and-outs of today’s busy healthcare settings. At Porter and Chester Institute, you’ll learn to keep electronic medical records, schedule patient appointments and procedures and process insurance claims.

Hands-on Training:
In addition to classroom instruction, you’ll have lots of hands-on training where you’ll be using the same kinds of medical, diagnostic and administrative equipment used in actual hospitals and healthcare facilities. You’ll also participate in an externship where you’ll get real-world experience out in the field.

Blended Learning:
In an effort to create a more flexible learning environment, certain courses in this program are taught via a combination of distance learning and regular “onsite” classroom instruction. This “blended learning” delivery method allows you to learn information online, at your convenience, and then put those corresponding skills into practice on-campus in the lab.
Note: Blended learning is not currently implemented at our New London campus.

Qualified Instructors:
Our instructors are not only professionals in their field with years of experience; they’re also excellent educators who care about you as a person. They want you to reach your full potential and will do everything they can to help you succeed.

Job Outlook:
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for Medical Assistants are expected to grow by 19 percent through 2029. There are plenty of jobs out there and we’ll help you prepare for them! Our Career Services Advisors will work with you until you find the career opportunity that matches your newly acquired skills.

Soft Skills:
It’s not just technical skills that get you employed –it’s all those soft skills that today’s employers say they really want to see. At Porter and Chester Institute, we’ll teach you about workplace professionalism and proper patient interaction. We’ll teach you what it means to be a good employee in a real world setting.