Iowa community colleges to use state grant dollars for career academy expansions
Four Iowa community colleges will expand career education opportunities for students with state grant funding. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Four Iowa community colleges will use a combined almost $4 million in state funding to develop or expand career academies for student and workforce needs.
The Iowa Department of Education and Gov. Kim Reynolds announced in a recent news release that Northwest Iowa Community College, Southwestern Community College and Western Iowa Tech Community College will each receive $1 million grants and Iowa Central Community College will receive more than $944,000 to create new programs and increase access to critical job training.
'Iowa is investing in its future through the Career Academy Incentive Fund. High school students across the state gain valuable experience, skills and credentials that will not only help shape their futures, but will also build the next generation of workers in our communities, ' Reynolds said in the release. 'I applaud Iowa Central Community College, Northwest Iowa Community College, Southwestern Community College and Western Iowa Tech Community College for their continued work to grow career academies that prepare students for in-demand careers here in Iowa.'
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According to the release, Southwestern, Western Iowa Tech and Iowa Central community colleges will use their grants to add new programming to existing regional centers. Regional centers are described in the release as 'designated facilities for the delivery of CTE programming that must provide access to at least four career academy programs and serve a minimum of four school districts or a combined minimum of 120 students from at least two school districts.'
Southwestern Community College will build a new skilled trades facility, renovate current spaces and develop a welding technology career center at its Creston regional center with its grant funding, according to the release. The center serves five school districts, which previously have been unable to offer welding courses.
Western Iowa Tech Community College's regional center in Denison is still under construction with plans to open this fall, the release stated, and grant funding will go toward welding technologies, health sciences and HVAC career academies.
Iowa Central Community College will focus its grant funding on its culinary arts career academy, one of seven offered at the college's Fort Dodge regional center. The college will renovate its facility to add a state-of-the-art kitchen and front-of-house spaces, according to the release, bring in its teaching restaurant and construct bakery and coffee shop spaces in the space.
Northwest Iowa Community College President John Hartog said in a news release the college will work with partnering high schools to develop a new regional center and career academy at MMCRU High School in Marcus, as well as renovate existing labs at the high school.
The new, 7,000-square-foot facility will offer career academy programs in education, health care, welding and design technology, according to the release. It will house a health care lab, computer lab and three classrooms for instruction.
'We are deeply committed to student success and fostering partnerships that provide meaningful educational opportunities for students in our rural communities,' Hartog said in the release. 'This initiative will give high school students the opportunity to explore career pathways, gain essential workforce skills, and help strengthen our region's talent pipeline. We are grateful for the collaboration with Superintendent Barkel and the partnering high schools, as well as any future schools that may join us, in making this opportunity a reality. I am excited about the positive impact this Regional Center and career academy will have on students and our communities for years to come.'
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