Iowa awards nearly $4 million to expand career academies

Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education have awarded nearly $4 million in grants to four community colleges in Iowa. The funding, provided through the state's Career Academy Incentive Fund, aims to enhance career academy opportunities by fostering partnerships between community colleges, schools, industry, and community stakeholders.

The grants are intended to expand access to career academy programs in high-demand fields via new or expanded regional centers. Northwest Iowa Community College (Marcus), Southwestern Community College (Creston), and Western Iowa Tech Community College (Denison) will each receive $1 million. Meanwhile, Iowa Central Community College (Fort Dodge) will receive over $944,000.

"Iowa is investing in its future through the Career Academy Incentive Fund," Gov. Reynolds said. "High school students across the state gain valuable experience, skills and credentials that will not only help shape their futures but will also build the next generation of workers in our communities."

Career academies provide skill development, career exploration, work-based learning, and professional training for high-demand careers. "Through the critical work-based learning infrastructure these grants support, learners across Iowa are attaining industry-recognized credentials and college credit while in high school," said McKenzie Snow, Director of the Iowa Department of Education.

Northwest Iowa Community College plans to use its funds to establish a new 7,000-square-foot regional center in Marcus. This center will offer programs in education, health sciences, engineering design, and welding technology. Southwestern Community College's grant will fund a welding technology career academy at its Creston campus and construct a skilled trades facility.

Western Iowa Tech Community College intends to add academies for health sciences, welding technology, and HVAC at its Denison regional center set to open in fall 2025. Additionally, Iowa Central Community College will modernize its culinary arts career academy with nearly $1 million in grant funds.

The Career Academy Incentive Fund was established in 2019 and is supported by a statewide penny sales tax for school infrastructure known as Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE). The program allows students from partnering districts to earn industry-recognized credentials along with high school and college credits through CTE programs aligned with business needs.

Further details can be found on the Department’s Career Academy Incentive Fund webpage.

Information from this article can be found here.