Kickstart your career in the trucking industry with PVAEC’s comprehensive CDL-A training program. This course combines classroom instruction and hands-on driving experience, preparing you for the written and skills tests required for a Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). A Class A CDL allows you to operate various commercial vehicles, including big rigs and tractor-trailers, and is required for vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight of 26,001 pounds or more.The program includes instruction on vehicle inspections, air brakes, combination vehicles, and extensive behind-the-wheel practice. Students will spend significant time on the range and on the road, gaining the experience necessary to demonstrate safe driving skills. The course is designed to meet State of Maine standards and industry regulations for classroom and driving instruction.To earn your CDL, students must pass both written tests (general knowledge, air brakes, and combination) and road tests. The course also includes a pre-employment drug test and DOT physical (included with tuition).The program consists of 147 hours of training, with all materials provided. Students are expected to maintain professional conduct and attire at all times.Start Date: Spring 2025 (TBA)For more information or to enroll, please contact PVAEC Academic Coordinator, Eve Salley at 207-341-5370 or email esalley@pvaec.org.

 Class schedule varies. Classes are held on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings, and all day Saturday in March and April. After that, class hours will vary until all road hours are completed. There are 78 classroom hours, 25.5 lab (range) hours and 44 road hours required. 

Create an adorable little lamb just in time for spring! Using a cheater’s armature, core wool, and soft lamb locks, craft a classic white lamb or get creative with fun colors like pink, blue, or rainbow. Suitable for adventurous beginners, though some felting experience is helpful. All materials are provided, but bring a pen tool or multi-tool if you have one.

Basic Accounting Principles and Quickbooks Online During these three sessions, you will learn basic accounting principles and how to apply them to setting up QuickBooks online for a small business or organization. The design of the course is that you'll attend the class and also do 2-3 hours of work between sessions which greatly enhances your learning. For this workshop, you have the option to receive a yearlong subscription to QB online. Upon registration, the survey provided will provide information about this opportunity. This is a live online class using ZOOM. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey included in your automated receipt so the instructor can tailor the course to meet your needs. You will want to have Microsoft Excel on your computer for this workshop and many people find it helpful to have two monitors though it is certainly not necessary to benefit from the sessions. There are two ways to accomplish this: 1) attach an external screen to your computer (contact our program if you need technical assistance with that); 2) use two computers (one for Excel and the other for the ZOOM meeting.

Explore the beauty and complexity of the wolf through art! This immersive workshop delves into the skeletal and muscular structures of canines, focusing on how these elements influence the creature’s form, movement, and interaction with light. Through a series of exercises in mixed media, we’ll study the wolf’s features in detail, from its powerful limbs to its expressive face. Participants will also create a final artwork adorned with unique “track” embellishments, celebrating the spirit of this magnificent animal. Supplies Needed: 2h, 4h graphite pencils, assorted watercolors pencils, water colors, permanent fine line drawing pens (black, brown or sepia are preferred), liner brush, small short round, lg watercolor brush (ETC), waterbin, odorless turp. tortillions, kneaded eraser, 9x12 – or larger smooth bristol or mixed media pad.

Dive deeper into the art of capturing the majestic wolf in this college-level painting class designed for wildlife enthusiasts. Building on foundational drawing skills, this workshop focuses on the use of sepia tones to establish base details, layering techniques to create depth, and specialized tools to mimic the texture of fur. Uncover the secrets of bringing a wolf’s coat to life on canvas, from soft underfur to coarse guard hairs, while exploring the interplay of light and shadow across the animal’s form. Supplies Needed: 16x20 stretched canvas, 1-1 1/2” flat shader, ½ flat #10, #2 round, #1script liner, ¾ mop or soft scruffy old brushes, sea sponge, q tips, Divided water bin, paint trays, paper towel or cloth, lt brown watercolor pencil, acrylic retarding medium, SET of basic artist acrylic colors: Mars black, Titanium white, Burnt umber, Ultramarine blue, Thalo blue, Yellow light, Thio/Acra Magenta, or quinacridone, and cad red.

Why should the kids have all the fun?! Let’s decorate some Easter Eggs! Julie will bring pre-formed wool eggs and lots of colorful wool and you can decorate them any way you want! Julie will bring a few simple designs and coach you through them. You should have time for 2 - 3 eggs during this session. If you’d like to take extra eggs home to decorate, please let us know in advance—additional eggs are just $1.50 each. This is a fantastic class for beginners! Bring your multi-tool, if you have one.

Grow Your Own Organic Garden covers all the basics of organic gardening -- such as supporting soil and plant health, starting seeds indoors and outdoors, interplanting, pest management, watering, and harvesting. Participants will have plenty of time to ask questions and connect with one another about shared experiences in their gardening journeys so far. By the end of this class, participants will be equipped with knowledge of how to grow an organic garden, be connected to resources and community members that will help them grow an organic garden, and feel ready to take the first steps toward doing so. We’ll even send you home with some seeds to start in your own garden! This class is for beginner and seasoned gardeners alike. The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), formed in 1971, is the oldest and largest state organic organization in the country and is creating a food system that is healthy and fair for all of us. Through education, training and advocacy, MOFGA is helping farmers thrive, making more local, organic food available and building sustainable communities. Learn more at mofga.org.

Register online: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/testorg8/1492101

Microsoft Excel Advanced During this session, you will learn how to hide data, split and freeze a window, create ranges, understand the name manager, learn additional functions, copy and paste special, sort data, and learn the power of filters. Some examples of using Microsoft Excel as practical tools including the amortization table, 20 top functions companies want their employees to know, and pivot tables. The design of this course includes 2-3 hours of work with the software between sessions to gain maximum benefit from the sessions. This is a live online class using ZOOM. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey included in your automated receipt so the instructor can tailor the course to meet your needs. You will want to have Microsoft Excel on your computer for this workshop and many people find it helpful to have two monitors though it is certainly not necessary to benefit from the sessions. There are two ways to accomplish this: 1) attach an external screen to your computer (contact our program if you need technical assistance with that); 2) use two computers (one for Excel and the other for the ZOOM meeting.