Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education announced the award of four $1 million competitive grants through the Career Academy Incentive Fund to aid in preparing more high school students for success in college, post-secondary training and the workforce. Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), Iowa Lakes Community College, Iowa Western Community College and North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) each received $1 million. The dollars will be used to increase access to their career academy programs in high-demand fields through new regional centers. Students in partnering school districts will reap the benefits from industry partnerships, the ability to earn high school and college credits and gain technical and traditional academic skills through this third round of awards. Gov. Reynolds says the expansion of career academies not only further develops the workforce talent pipeline, it also prepares students for high-skill, high-demand careers right here in their home state. She also commends each community college for their leadership in developing the career academies, “Which inspire and develop some of Iowa’s most valuable workers beginning at a young age and, at the same time, expands opportunities to meet the needs of students, families, schools and employers in their local communities.” The DMACC grant is earmarked for a regional center in Templeton that will serve students from four rural school districts in west central Iowa. Iowa Lakes will establish a new center on the Spirit Lake campus, Iowa Western will partner with four rural school districts to bring a new regional center to Missouri Valley and NIACC will open a center in Charles City.
