After extensive studies, one large proposal and almost two years of patiently waiting, City College’s Construction Technology program has received associate of science degree status from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

The degree status was received mid-August, and has already begun to benefit students in the program. The department has seen a 30 to 40 percent increase in student enrollment since last fall because students can now work towards a degree.

“In the last few years, we started having students ask if there was a program because they wanted the degree, but we didn’t have the degree,” said Dr. Patrick Foster, director of the construction technologies department. “So for a lot of them, I would have them take the classes I knew would be included in the program because there was no reason the proposal wouldn’t be approved.”

The Construction Technology program began seven years ago at the college with only one class being offered. Today, 19 courses are offered through the program.

Along with the associate degree and certificate status comes additional federal funding. The funding goes toward expensive classroom equipment like table tools said Foster.

He added that this field yields a large amount of job opportunities.

“There has always been construction in the Santa Barbara community,” he said.

Although classes focus mainly on residential construction skills, commercial construction skills are taught lightly.

New contractors have begun to call Foster and with jobs requiring carpenters. Contractors seek students in the Construction Technology program at the college and want to work together with Foster and his students.

Matt Allen, 37, is a fourth semester Construction Teachnology student at the college and praises the new degree.

“Supposedly the field is going to be growing a lot as the infrastructure is kind of crumbling in this country,” said Allen, “And I think it’s an important program because were going to need a lot of workers in the construction fields.”

Rodney Utt, general contractor and construction technology instructor, also believes the program is a major benefit for students.

“For students, the most rewarding part of getting this [associate of science] degree is the sense of being acknowledged as a professional,” said Utt. “And also what the degree indicates; the classes they would have to take as requisites to get the degree would mean they have been exposed to things that really give them a leg up in the construction industry.”