(KIWA Staff Photo)Sheldon, Iowa (Sioux County Radio) — Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon will receive $385,427 to develop and expand short-term workforce training programs focused on the needs of Northwest Iowa employers.
The funding is part of the $10.8 million statewide Iowa STRONG grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor. NCC plans to use its share to strengthen training in industrial maintenance, manufacturing design, and related technical skills.
Hands-On Training and Paths to Degrees
The grant will help purchase equipment that gives students hands-on experience with technology commonly used in the workplace. Training will cover electrical systems, motor controls, industrial automation, and manufacturing design, including the creation of technical drawings and models for products and equipment.
The funding will also support a full-time project coordinator position for four years to help develop and implement the new training.
NCC plans to design the short-term credentials around regional workforce needs while allowing the coursework to count toward degree programs such as Industrial Instrumentation & Control, Engineering Design, and Design Technology.
NCC President John Hartog says the goal is to create more entry points for students while helping employers meet workforce needs. The credentials are intended to help students explore options, gain job skills, and prepare for employment, while also providing a pathway to continue toward a degree program in the future.
Expanding Access to Financial Assistance
NCC will also work to develop programs that meet Workforce Pell requirements, allowing eligible students in approved short-term programs to receive federal Pell Grant assistance.
According to the college, short-term, noncredit workforce training programs historically have not qualified for Pell Grants, which are based on financial need and generally do not need to be repaid. Workforce Pell expands access to that assistance for qualifying short-term training opportunities.
The planned programs are designed to provide students with a shorter route to career exploration and job skills training while offering financial assistance opportunities for those who qualify.
Part of a Statewide Effort
According to NCC, Iowa’s $10.8 million award is the largest in the nation under the sixth round of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants.
Iowa STRONG, which stands for Systems, Training, and Resources for Opportunity, Navigation, and Growth, brings together Iowa’s community colleges, the Iowa Department of Education, and Iowa Workforce Development. Hawkeye Community College is coordinating statewide implementation.
The effort aims to develop more than 50 Workforce Pell-eligible training programs in advanced manufacturing, construction and skilled trades, and health care by 2030. It will also support employer outreach, coordination between education and workforce partners, and improved tracking of participant outcomes.
