Central Oregon Community College plans to launch a veterinary technician program this fall.

COCC has added several degree and certificate options during the last few years, including a baking and pastry arts degree and an aviation program four years ago. If approved by the Oregon Department of Education in March, COCC will join Portland Community College as the two community colleges in the state offering the vet tech degree.

In planning the program over the last three years, COCC has worked closely with local veterinarians, according to Karin Hilgersom, COCC’s vice-president for instruction.

COCC polled veterinary clinics across Central Oregon and found that 98 percent of the 35 responding clinics backed the college launching a degree.

“I’m so excited about the program. I think it’s a great example of (COCC) meeting what the community is asking for,” Hilgersom said.

COCC expects the program to be a popular one for several reasons. Currently, people can qualify to take the certified veterinary technician, or CVT, examination through on-the-job training. Beginning in 2013, however, students will need a degree from an accredited school to take the test.

Students will be able to qualify to take the exam by earning the COCC degree.

The jobs students will be eligible for pay well, too. According to COCC, the state’s median certified veterinary technician salary is $31,350 per year, and regionally, it’s about $1,000 higher.

Though the state has not given final approval to the program, COCC is planning to recruit students and a program director.

The program’s first cohort – a group who take all classes together – will be about two dozen students, each of whom will have to pass math, writing, biology and chemistry courses before beginning the program, according to Jenni Newby, an instructional dean.

Almost all of the program requirements will be veterinary courses that will take two years of full-time study to complete.

“On the student’s part, it is going to be a significant commitment,” Newby said.

Plenty of work remains to launch the program by fall. COCC has interviewed program director candidates, and Newby hopes to make a hire by spring.

The college must also finalize where on campus the classes will take place. COCC already has commitments from local veterinary clinics where program students will gain hands-on experience.

Margaret Peterson, a COCC professor engaged in the effort, said veterinary clinics are using technicians to do more work than ever.

“The techs will be doing a lot of the work (veterinarians) used to, so the training is really important,” Peterson said.