The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded Clark State Community College a $2.5 million grant to that will help the school train workers for manufacturing jobs.
The grant money will be used to purchase equipment and develop a curriculum to help students and displaced workers find jobs in different manufacturing areas. Clark State President Dr. Jo Alice Blondin feels that manufacturing jobs require a different skill set these days.
"It really is a totally different environment. We all have to be open minded about what it means to go into manufacturing," she said. "And that it is a very intellectual and high skill degree, but you may not need that four-year degree, it may come from a two-year degree at Clark State."
Blondin said the hands on experience will help Clark State students fill a growing number of job opportunities from area manufacturing companies. Many employers say there's a lack of skilled workers to fill the openings.
The manufacturing certificate program at Clark State will begin this fall.