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photo by: Joselyn King

Curt Hippensteel, West Virginia Northern Community College division chair for applied technology, inspects the outside compressor package students in the compressor mechanic program will practice on as part of their studies.

WHEELING — West Virginia Northern Community College hopes to ignite students’ interest in a new compressor mechanic program it is launching.

WVNCC aligned with natural gas industry leaders to offer the training, as such companies are finding it harder and harder to find employees with the specialized skills needed in this high-demand field in various industrial and commercial settings.

“They’re actually hiring from each other … ,” Curt Hippensteel, WVNCC division chair for applied technology, said. “There is a great need for this skill set in the industry.”

Gas processing plants participating in the program include MPLX, Enerflex Ltd., Innio Waukesha, Greenetech Manufacturing Co., Murphy, Insana and WPI.

The program will offer students hands-on training in diagnosing, repairing and maintaining complex industrial compressor systems. Students will train with industry-standard equipment, with MPLX donating some of the equipment that will be used in the program, according to Hippensteel.

Compressors drive the engines, so students will be taught to work on both, he added.

Hippensteel said he and some students took a field trip last year to an MPLX facility, where company officials spoke to him about establishing a compressor mechanic program at WVNCC.

“And there are several other companies that have come in to help with what we are doing here … ,” he continued. ”They say their industry needs compression mechanics, and there is not a place close by here that trains them.

“They are familiar with our energy technology students. So they asked us if we would be willing to partner with local industry to do something like this.”

The equipment has just arrived at WVNCC, and current applied technology students can start this spring to take some of the required classes needed for the compressor mechanic degree, such as hydraulics and electrical classes.

The program will be housed in WVNCC’s Industrial Technology Center, providing students with a state-of-the-art learning environment. Because this is a new program, students will initially be admitted into WVNCC’s Applied Technology degree program then transferred into the compressor mechanic program officially in the fall 2025 semester.

“Then in the fall – once everything has been approved by the state – they will be compressor mechanics students,” Hippensteel noted.

The applied technology program is also eligible for free tuition through WV Invests for qualifying students.

Participating students can go one or two years with the program, Hippensteel said. Those with one year under their belt will be able to get their first job in the industry after graduating, while those with two-year degrees will command a higher starting salary.

Compressor mechanics across the board earn $24-$32 an hour with ample overtime opportunities, according to Hippensteel.

He said he would like to have 10 students in the class but will be happy if at least eight students sign up for the program. There is room for as many as 12 students, Hippensteel added.

The spring semester starts Jan. 13, and students can start enrolling now, said David Barnhart, director of communications and student recruitment.

Graduates of the program will work as natural gas compressor mechanics in industries such as natural gas, manufacturing and more. The program also provides prospects for higher certifications and specialized roles, offering opportunities for career advancement.