FREEPORT — As the fall semester begins at Highland Community College, students interested in manufacturing will benefit from both new facilities and enhanced program pathways. On the heels of comprehensive expansions of its welding and CNC labs, HCC has received a four-year federal grant in collaboration with two local colleges to provide the needed training in the trades for a skilled workforce.
Highland’s portion of the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grant from the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration will be $270,000 annually, starting with the coming academic year in August. Rock Valley College and McHenry College will form a three-college coalition with Highland to infuse more than $5.5 million into communities they serve across northern Illinois. More than 40 community colleges nationwide were chosen to receive $65 million in grant funds.
“This collaborative effort among Highland, Rock Valley and McHenry will not only benefit manufacturing and welding industries, it will have a positive economic ripple throughout northern Illinois,” said Highland President Chris Kuberski.
Scott Anderson, Highland’s Vice President of Business, Technology and Community Programs, says this grant will catalyze the college’s expanded learning spaces to help create both career pipelines and new jobs — with extra resources to help students persist through programs to completion. The industrial manufacturing technology program, computer-aided design, machine processes, and welding/fabrication programs at Highland are adjusting to the increasing technological demands of industry and need for a wide scope in abilities expected of today’s manufacturing professionals.
“Over the next four years, Highland Community College will receive over one million dollars to support the pipeline of potential employees in CNC Machining and Welding careers,” Anderson said. “The college will use grant funds to purchase equipment and supplies, but more importantly have additional resources to hire a coach/mentor to provide extra support and guidance to students. The grant will also provide stipends for more students to engage in internships, covering travel costs, and reducing their financial burden by providing textbooks and tool kits via the loan program.”
Rock Valley in Rockford will lead the implementation of the grant in the region, partnering with McHenry in Crystal Lake and Highland with strategic direction from the Illinois Community College Board to provide access to the manufacturing trades for a target number of 700 students over four years.
While Highland has been offering quality Welding and CNC programs for decades, this grant will maximize the college’s new facilities. The spring semester kicked off with an expanded Welding lab and new equipment, more than double its original size of 1,900 to 4,800 square feet. The college will start the fall semester with a similarly refurbished and expanded CNC lab.
For more information on the welding and CNC programs at Highland, visit highland.edu.
