Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education today awarded $2 million in grants to Ellsworth Community College and Iowa Western Community College through the state’s Career Academy Incentive Fund. The grant funds will be used to establish two new regional centers, empowering more Iowa students with multiple pathways to postsecondary success.
The Career Academy Incentive Fund, spearheaded by Gov. Reynolds in 2019 and administered by the Iowa Department of Education, creates and supports partnerships among community colleges, schools, local businesses and community stakeholders. The new regional centers at Ellsworth Community College in the Iowa Valley Community College District and the main campus of Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs will serve students from 11 school districts and two nonpublic schools providing access to 11 career academy programs.
“When students have more opportunities to explore careers, earn credentials and gain real world experience while they’re still in high school, we build the next generation of workforce leaders in our communities,” Gov. Reynolds said. “Iowa continues to invest in its future through the Career Academy Incentive Fund. These new career academies will prepare more students for high-skill, high-demand and high-wage jobs, while meeting the workforce needs of Iowa employers.”…