Haywood Community College recently got word that its fish and wildlife management technology program has received five more years of accreditation from the North American Wildlife Technology Association. 

The only such associate degree program in North Carolina, the program earned praise from NAWTA’s executive director Jim Westerhold.

“You truly have an outstanding program at the college and should be commended for it,” Westerhold wrote in a letter to the college. 

Accreditation assures students they’re entering into a quality program and gives graduates an edge in the job market. 

The fish and wildlife program focuses on conservation and management of wilderness areas; management of wildlife reservations; and management of zoos and aquariums. It’s a hands-on curriculum that allows students to practice the skills they learn in the classroom and interact with professionals in the field.