Iowa Community Colleges Seeing Benefits of Career Development Programs

Mid adult woman in a continuing education class at a community college or university

Photo: Trevor Williams / DigitalVision / Getty Images

(Des Moines, IA) -- Iowa community colleges say they're seeing the benefits of their career development programs, including partnerships with high schools across the state.

Dr. Matt Thompson is the president of Indian Hills Community College, which is based in Ottumwa.

"Last year, families saved $6.2 million in community college tuition and fees," Thompson says. "If they were to take those hours and have just gone to regents or private institutions, that number expands a lot."

So, they're asking state legislators to expand the budget for the Workforce Training and Economic Development fund in order to continue to provide that access.

"We just built a 66,000 sq. foot facility in Centerville, Iowa," Thompson says. "For career and technical education and general education courses. It has completely changed the face of that campus. We used WTED funding to help with equipment and with new faculty that we've hired. So, it plays a vital role in what we do as well."

He says 90% of community college graduates in Iowa stay to work in the state.


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