Sioux Center, Iowa – A Sheldon institution of higher learning is announcing a grant has helped them start a career program at their Sioux Center satellite campus.
Officials with Northwest Iowa Community College (NCC) in Sheldon tell us they are excited to unveil a new Information Technology (IT) career track at the NCC Career Academy in Sioux Center. They say the track is aimed at addressing the growing demand for IT and automation skills in the workforce.
Officials say the development is made possible by a $556,000 state grant from the Career Academy Incentive Fund. The grant is dedicated to outfitting a state-of-the-art classroom and computer lab, with essential IT equipment, including servers, switches, and firewalls, which enables hands-on learning experiences.
NCC officials say the new IT track enhances the Career Academy’s existing Applied Technology offerings, including Engineering Design and Welding career tracks, and aligns with the principles of Manufacturing 4.0. They say that includes a focus on cybersecurity, data management, and automated manufacturing, further broadening the academy’s commitment to advancing technological education and workforce readiness in line with current and future industry standards.
The program will start with juniors in high school, beginning with NCC’s Help Desk Technician Certificate in the first year, followed by the TiaComp A+ Certification and an NCC Information Technology Specialist (ITS) Diploma by the end of the second year of the academy. They tell us that foundation prepares them for further education through the second year of the Information Technology Specialist Associate of Applied Science degree program through NCC and/or immediate employment in the Information Technology field.
