Bristol Community College Touts Gaming Program

Someone looking to pursue a career in the gaming industry will be able to get an Associates Degree from Bristol Community College.

The school begin work on designing the program long before any full fledged casinos have opened in the Commonwealth.

During the Massachusetts Gaming Commission's meeting on Thursday John Caressimo, the director of the college's Culinary Arts, Tourism, Casino, and Hospitality program says it takes the average student two years to complete the program and they wanted to make sure their students were ready.

"So our thought was when we began this process that if students were to begin their degree program, they would be ready pretty much when the ribbons were being cut in the various hotels," said Caressimo.

Caressimo also said that students who pursue a career in gaming will get a real education on the finer points of table games.

"We will offer dealing games in poker, blackjack, roulette, or craps," said Caressimo "these courses will be offered in the newly created casino lab which is being built at the newly created Bristol Community College Taunton Center in the Galleria Mall."

However, Paul Vigeant, the school's acting Vice-President of Workforce Development, says there will be options available for those who want additional training but don't want to pursue a degree program.

"To the extent an individual doesn't want to get into the full associates degree track, then we'll have a pathway through the non-credit division that will enable them to take and focus more specifically more on areas of gaming in which they want to concentrate," said Vigeant.

The school also told commissioners they are reaching out to various casinos, including Twin River, in search of qualified instructors.