The ACCS Innovation Center adds seven Skills for Success courses in two months
By ACCS Innovation Center Oct 15, 2026
MONTGOMERY, Ala. The ACCS Innovation Center (IC) is rolling out seven new Skills for Success courses in two months. Built with Alabama industry, each course gets workers ready for Day 1 on the job.
The IC, a division of the Alabama Community College System, builds training with industry and subject matter experts, and community colleges deliver it across the state of Alabama. The courses combine online instruction with hands-on training, giving participants job skills that could take months to build otherwise.
“The ACCS Innovation Center began as an idea on a napkin and today it is an integral part of the ACCS’ mission,” said Jimmy Baker, ACCS Chancellor. “Through programs like Skills for Success, the ACCS Innovation Center is changing the landscape of Alabama’s workforce through building training directly with Alabama business and industry and working alongside our community colleges to open doors of opportunity for Alabamians across the state. I am proud of the work being done and certain of the impact still to come.”
“Skills for Success courses are built alongside business and industry leaders, so participants learn the skills Alabama employers are asking for right now,” said IC Chief of Operations Julie Frizzell. “Some participants are starting a brand-new career, while others are building new skills to advance in industries they already work in. Every course gives participants a clear next step and gives Alabama employers stronger teams.”
New Skills for Success courses now available
- Paver/Screed Operator: Prepares participants to work on an asphalt paving crew as a paver operator, screed operator or both. Skills include site safety, OSHA and PPE requirements, screed controls, mat quality, paving patterns, compaction and equipment troubleshooting. Designed primarily for incumbent workers with prior paving experience.
- Shuttle Buggy Operator: Covers safe, effective operation of a shuttle buggy during paving. Skills include material transfer vehicle components, OSHA and DOT standards, preventing asphalt segregation, communication and troubleshooting. Designed primarily for incumbent workers with prior paving experience.
- Mastering the Customer Experience: Builds customer relations skills for any industry or role. Skills include the purpose and scope of customer relations, improving communication and problem-solving to meet and exceed customer expectations, customer relations technologies and strategies for continuous improvement. No prior experience is required.
- Drone Operator: Prepares aspiring drone pilots for safe, efficient operation, with no prior experience required. Skills include flight principles, airspace regulations, pre-flight checks, navigation, emergency procedures and preparation for the separate FAA Part 107 exam.
New Skills for Success courses available in October
- Asphalt Lab Technician: Prepares participants to ensure the quality and compliance of asphalt materials. Skills include PPE and emergency response, aggregate sampling, sieve analysis, mix design, and compaction and quality testing.
- Veterinary Assistant: Prepares participants for entry-level veterinary assistant work in Alabama. Skills include basic veterinary medicine, common illnesses, treatment protocols and compassionate patient and client care.
- Biotechnician: Prepares participants to begin a career as a biotechnician. Skills include current biotechnology methods, how biopharmaceuticals are regulated and approved, lab, clinical and manufacturing practices, workplace safety, environmental monitoring in labs, applied mathematics and biotechnology equipment.
Participants who complete the online instruction and hands-on lab for each course earn an ACCS credential. The full list of Skills for Success courses is available at SkillsForAlabama.com, where participants may select a course and register their interest, connecting them directly to their local community college for next steps.
Legislative appropriations help make cost-free options available across the state of Alabama. Business and industry partners interested in helping shape future courses are invited to contact the IC at TrainForAlabama.com.
About the ACCS Innovation Center
The ACCS Innovation Center (IC), a division of the Alabama Community College System, develops workforce training that community colleges and agency partners deliver across the state of Alabama. Its programs include Skills for Success, Navigate, State Partnerships and RAISE. It has offices in Decatur and Montgomery and serves participants across the state of Alabama. Learn more about the IC at TrainForAlabama.com.