CLINTON, Iowa – Clinton Community College will soon be honored for its two new career centers in the region.
Grow Clinton will present the college with the Community Innovation Award in recognition of the new centers located in Clinton and DeWitt, Iowa.
An awards ceremony will be held at noon on Friday, Feb. 23, at the college’s Career Advancement Center at 1210 11th Ave. South, Clinton.
The DeWitt Career Advancement Center is located in DeWitt’s Crossroads Business Park at 817 E. Industrial St. The center is a fully-equipped 26,000-square-foot facility on six acres. It holds two wings — one housing classrooms and the other specifically designed for industrial and agricultural programs. Programs offered in that facility include agriculture, CNC machining, construction technology, healthcare, information technology, and small business management.
Located just across the street from Clinton Community College’s main campus, the ultramodern 26,700 square-foot Clinton Career Advancement Center is set to redefine the landscape of education in the region.
The center was built thanks to strong community support. In March 2021, more than 70% of district voters passed a $40 million bond to fund several building projects across the college district.
A year later, the $9 million Clinton center opened its doors. The cutting-edge facility boasts multi-purpose laboratories, well-equipped classrooms, faculty offices, and a spacious common area. It is designed to meet the growing demand for specialized training and education in a variety of fields.
Programs offered at the center cover a wide range of disciplines, including agriculture, automotive technology, construction technology, culinary arts, engineering technology, education, healthcare, information technology and welding technology.
One of the key features of the Clinton Career Advancement Center is its ability to serve area high schools through the college’s Career Academies. These Career Academies offer high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to explore career paths and gain college-level credits without incurring tuition costs, ultimately saving valuable time and resources. It’s an initiative that not only promotes education, but also aids in narrowing the skills gap that exists in the community.
Approximately 65% of jobs in the area necessitate education beyond high school, making the need for centers like the Clinton Career Advancement Center all the more pressing.
“This opportunity for our community members is the result of a tremendous, and shared effort between our K-12 partners, local businesses, our economic development partners, and Eastern Iowa Community Colleges,” said Clinton Community College President Brian Kelly.
“The opening of this center marks a generation of change for opportunity and workforce development.”
