KILGORE, Texas (KETK) — Ahead of classes starting, Kilgore College students are moving into their dorms for the semester and for residence advisor Joseph Hayden Lutta, move-in has been good.

“It’s been amazing, you know, getting to meet new students, you know, my freshman year, I was very, extremely nervous, but it’s smooth, so it’s really going great,” said Joseph Hayden Lutta, second-year Kilgore College student.

His goal is to become an athletic director and attend the University of Houston to continue his education.

“Looking forward to just being a better student, I know that I just want to get better grades and stuff so I can be able to reach my dream college and go there,” said Lutta.

Though, the first day of classes isn’t the only big event from Kilgore College on Friday. They partnered with the University of Texas Tyler for a manufacturing technology program to help fill a need in the community and held a ribbon cutting at the new Advanced Manufacturing Institute in Longview.

“It’s been a long journey, we’ve built this program with our industry partners who helped us with the curriculum, they came in and told us what they needed,” said  D’wayne Shaw, Executive Dean of Professional and Career Education.

The program will be available to high schoolers, college students and anyone else looking for a good job.

“It’s going to be great for us to be able to get additional manufacturers, we have great manufacturers here that needed these employees,” said Shaw.

Executive Dean of Professional and Career Education D’wayne Shaw said he hopes the courses will help not only the need in the community but also the job seekers themselves.

“Skills that will lead them into a career, that’s with life-changing money and money that, you know, things that will help their family for generations,” said Shaw.

As new and current students prepare to head back to school, Lutta leaves freshmen with this piece of advice.

“Take it slow, don’t try to jump in and rush everything, find your group of people and stick with them, and especially when it comes to studying, make a study group, that’s really important,” said Lutta.

Classes in the new manufacturing technology program will begin Monday and will happen every 8 weeks.