EXPANDING CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION A VISION BROUGHT TO LIFE
W
hat started as a dream to bring more career and technical education opportunities to underserved populations is now a reality thanks to the strong support of voters within Eastern Iowa Community Colleges’ (EICC) service area. Recently, more than 70 percent of voters in Clinton, Jackson, Muscatine, Scott and neighboring counties, said yes to a $40 million Bond Referendum to fund new and expanded training labs to support EICC’s Career and Technical Education Programs, including high school Career Academies. “We’re very excited and grateful to see this important initiative move forward,” said EICC Chancellor Don Doucette. “The economic future of Eastern Iowa depends on a skilled workforce, and 65 percent of the jobs of today and tomorrow require education and training beyond high school.” The funding will be used for new and expanded career training facilities at all three of EICC’s Clinton, Muscatine and Scott Community College main campuses. It will also be used for a new facility in DeWitt, expansion of programming at the college’s current Maquoketa training facility located next to Maquoketa High School and a new agriculture education facility in Scott County. “It’s been a long but satisfying road to get to this point,” said Muscatine Community College President, Naomi DeWinter. “We have worked with our partners for the
10 eicc.edu/tccmagazine
Pictured: Artist’s Rendering of Scott Community College Allied Health /Nursing Wing Addition
last several years on the model of expanding career and technical education and we are thankful to have the support of our schools, businesses and community members, indicated in the positive vote for the referendum.” The expansion will allow for increased services for all EICC students as well as those in the college’s high school Career Academies. Career Academies provide the opportunity for current high school students to receive hands-on career training, and college-level credits, while still in high school. Because of this, a number of area school boards approved resolutions in support of the referendum. Plans for the project have been in the works for years, as the need for hands-on career training has grown. “Expanding career and technical education throughout the region, especially in our rural communities, ensures all community members have affordable and equitable access to the educational opportunities,” Doucette said. “In addition, these facilities will meet the ongoing needs of business and industry by developing a skilled workforce.” Work on the various projects will begin as early as this coming fall, with completed facilities expected to open in late 2022 or early 2023. “To be able to deliver programs that are in high-demand to our community in the near future gives us all something exciting to work towards,” said DeWinter.
