At age 25, Jameson Parker had already worked five years in the field of GIS, drafting and telecommunications engineering when he decided to enroll in Hinds Community College’s program on the Raymond Campus.
A Murrah High graduate, Parker became progressively more concerned about the job market as the economy turned downward.
“I didn’t have a degree and feared that when it was time to make cuts, those with a degree would be more secure. That’s when I decided to come to Hinds Community College,” said Parker, a drafting and design technology major.
He had attended a four-year college before he came to Hinds but has found his experience at Hinds “incredible.”
“The majority of my teachers have actually had a previous career in the subjects that they were teaching,” Parker said. “Because of their experience and first-hand knowledge, the education I received was unparalleled. Not only did I learn traditionally through lectures and books, I also learned through in-depth use of the newest technical software and outside hands-on activities.”
In his classes Parker has learned to use AutoCAD, a design and engineering software tool used in a wide variety of career fields. “Whether it’s designing new technology, machine parts, homes and/or highways, Hinds Community College gave me the tools I needed to be able to understand and design complex technical drawings of any kind,” he said. “When I talk to potential employers and I tell them I’m student from Hinds Community College, they don’t hesitate to hand me their card and ask that I give them a call.”
Parker singled out three instructors as caring and supportive – Cindy West, Phil Cockrell and Jeff Lewis.
“If I had known about the experience Hinds Community College had to offer when I graduated high school, I would’ve made my mind up to come here right away,” he said.