Join us for this Monthly lecture series!

AUGUST 2023 GUEST SPEAKER: Thomas R. (Rick) Furse, Jr.

Rick received a BA in Political Science from the Citadel in Charleston, S.C., and a master’s in business administration from Gardner-Web University. He serves as Dean, Workforce Development and Continuing Education at Western Piedmont Community College.

He provides leadership for future carpenters, plumbers, electricians and heating and air technicians at The Construction Trades Solutions Center on the WPCC campus.

He also serves on several local and state-wide steering committees, including the Burke County OPT-IN and JET internship programs in collaboration with Work in Burke and Burke County Public Schools, and the Apprenticeship NC steering committee. Under Rick’s leadership, WPCC’s PACE Apprenticeship program was recently recognized by the United States Department of Labor as an Apprenticeship Ambassador, one of only a few programs in NC to achieve that distinction.

Rick and his wife, Laurie, have three grown sons and six grandchildren.

Claude Sitton, Executive Director of the History Museum, and former trustee of Western Piedmont Community College, encourages young men and women to attend the Coffee at the Museum and meet Dean Furse and enroll in the fall program before August 15, 2023.

The classes and training will take place in The Construction Trades Solutions Center on the WPCC campus.