Wallace State Offering New Facility Maintenance and Baking and Pastry Programs

HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Wallace State Community College will offer two new programs beginning in Fall 2026, both designed to prepare students to enter the workforce with skills specific to their chosen trade and meet workforce demands.

The Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees approved the creation of the Facility Maintenance Technology program as well as Advanced Baking and Pastry. 

“We are excited to begin offering these new options to students in our area,” said Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics. “These new programs will provide students invaluable skills they can take into the workforce and meet the growing demand for qualified employees in those fields.”

Facility Maintenance Technology

The Facility Maintenance Technology program will offer an associate in applied science degree and will prepare students for employment as multi-skilled technicians responsible for maintaining, troubleshooting, installing, and repairing systems in industrial, commercial and institutional facilities. 

The curriculum integrates electrical, HVAC, mechanical, and automation coursework with safety and communications skills to produce job-ready graduates aligned with Alabama’s in-demand occupations. 

“The Facility Maintenance Program is designed to prepare students for high-demand careers in modern manufacturing, robotics, and production environments by providing a comprehensive, hands-on education in maintaining entire building systems,” said Jerry Murcks, Dean of Applied Technology. “This program combines training in HVAC, robotics and automation, and electrical engineering fundamentals, equipping students with the skills needed to troubleshoot, repair, and optimize complex facility operations.”

Murcks added that students will learn how to manage interconnected systems that keep facilities running efficiently. “With a strong focus on real-world application, graduates are prepared to enter the workforce with versatile, industry-ready skills that support the growing need for multi-skilled technicians in advanced facilities,” he said.

The pathway will also offer a short-term certificate students can use to enter the workforce as they develop news skills and progress toward the associate degree.

The Alabama Department of Labor has identified a need for skilled labor in facility and industrial maintenance. The program will support needs workforce across manufacturing, healthcare, logistics and education sectors. 

“Our industry partners—including Mazda Toyota, YUTAKA, REHAU, and other regional employers—have identified a critical and ongoing need for skilled maintenance professionals,” Murcks said. “Employers report a high demand for workers with advanced technical competencies in electrical troubleshooting, PLC programming and automation systems, mechanical repair, hydraulics and pneumatics, and HVAC systems to support modern manufacturing operations.”

As part of the application process to create the new program Shawn Merritt of Y-Teck Keylex Toyotetsu Alabama (YKTA) wrote a letter of support for the program. “The demand for workers with strong foundational knowledge in mechanical systems, electrical fundamentals, safety protocols, and preventative maintenance continues to grow across industrial and manufacturing systems,” he said. “This proposed pathway directly addresses those workforce needs.”

The program will fall under the umbrella of the college’s Mechatronics, Electronics and Robotic Technology department and is expected to include opportunities such as apprenticeships and potential partnerships with industries through the FAME program.

For more information, call 256.352.8150 or email electrical@wallacestat.edu.

Advanced Baking and Pastry

The Advanced Baking and Pastry pathway is an additional option offered through the college’s Culinary Arts program. Its goal is to prepare students for immediate employment in culinary and hospitality industries through specialized training and baking and pastry arts. 

Students will develop skills in bread-making, pastries, cakes, confections, and plated deserts, while mastering food safety, cost control, and production management. In addition to baking skills, the curriculum will teach business skills to prepare the students to launch their own successful bakery business.

According to data from Lightcast, baking and pastry positions occupations are in-demand in Alabama, with regional employers reporting a shortage of skilled bakers and pastry chefs. 

The program will be accredited by the American Culinary Federation. 

In a letter to the ACCS Board of Trustees, 412 Public House owner/operator Stephen Gannon noted that while the restaurant has benefited from hiring talented graduates from Wallace State’s Culinary Arts program, finding staff with specialized baking and pastry skills remains a challenge.

“A Wallace State program like this would go a long way in fulfilling this need and would provide a great onramp for students to expand their opportunities when completing their degree,” Gannon wrote. 

Katie Fine, owner of Jubilee Kitchen & Bar wrote: “Overall, the baking and pastry program at Wallace State Community College would be a strong asset for both students and the Cullman community. Local bakeries, restaurants, and hospitality business are in need of skilled workers, and this program would help prepare students with practical, job-ready skills that can be put to use right here at home.”

The program will offer both a certificate and an associate in applied technology degree. 

The Culinary Arts program will move to the new Academic Center of Excellence (ACE) building currently under construction and will include state-of-the-art baking and savory labs as well as Bistro 801 for real world culinary dining and work experiences.

For more information, contact Aaron Nichols at 256.352.7852 or culinary@wallacestate.edu. 

Registration for Summer 2026 Mini Term II is underway with classes beginning July 2. Registration for Fall 2026  – including regular and Mini Term semesters – is also open with classes starting Aug. 17. 

For more information, visit www.wallacestate.edu, call Lion Central at 256.352.8236 or come by the Hanceville or Oneonta campus centers. Current and incoming students may schedule an advising session with the Center for Student Success at www.wallacestate.edu/advising. 

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About Wallace State

Wallace State Community College (Ala.), a member of the Alabama Community College System, is a comprehensive community college in north central Alabama offering more than 200 options in academic, health and technical programs of study leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer, as well as workforce-credit training and adult education. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, nationally recognized by the Aspen Institute as a Rising Star for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, ranked by Southern Business and Development among the Top 3 institutions in the South for workforce development, named a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing and the National Security Administration, rated the Top Online Community College in Alabama, a Military Friendly Institution and an All-Steinway School, Wallace State is an outstanding place for students to pursue their education and career goals. Classes are offered online and on campus, day, evening and on weekends, with numerous start dates each year. Visit Wallace State’s beautiful main campus located on 300-acres in Hanceville, Ala., our satellite location in downtown Oneonta, Ala., find us online at www.wallacestate.edu, or call 256.352.8000.