Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon will receive $385,427 to develop and expand short-term workforce training 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 focus its share on industrial maintenance, manufacturing design, and related technical skills.
Hands-On Training and Paths to Degrees
The grant will help purchase equipment to give students hands-on experience with technology 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 for four years to help develop and implement the training.
NCC plans to design the short-term credentials around regional workforce needs, with college credit that can apply toward related degree programs, including Industrial Instrumentation & Control, Engineering Design, and Design Technology.
Students could use a credential to prepare for an entry-level position or continue their education toward a degree.
“This investment will help us create more starting points for students while helping employers in Northwest Iowa build the skilled workforce they need,” said NCC President John Hartog. “A short-term credential can help someone explore a career, develop skills and prepare for employment. By connecting those credentials to our degree programs, we can also give students a path to continue their education when they are ready.”
Expanding Access to Financial Assistance
NCC will 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 have to be repaid. Workforce Pell expands access to that assistance for qualifying short-term training.
The planned programs would give students a shorter route to explore a career and develop job skills, while offering financial assistance to 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 Department of Labor’s Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants.
Iowa STRONG stands for Systems, Training, and Resources for Opportunity, Navigation, and Growth. The initiative brings together Iowa’s community colleges, the Iowa Department of Education, and Iowa Workforce Development, with Hawkeye Community College managing statewide implementation.
The statewide effort aims to develop more than 50 Workforce Pell-eligible training programs in advanced manufacturing, construction and skilled trades, and healthcare by 2030.
It will also support employer outreach, coordination between education and workforce partners, and improvements in tracking participant outcomes.
