CHICAGO – March 13, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today was joined by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Cheryl Hyman to announce $31.6 million from the Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program for a new Transportation, Distribution and Logistics (TDL) Center at Olive-Harvey College. The facility will be the first comprehensive TDL education center in the state and supports Governor Quinn’s commitment to growing high-tech jobs. The facility will prepare students for work in transportation logistics and other high-tech careers such as automotive technology, applied engineering and avionics.
“By investing in our community colleges, we can better prepare Illinois residents with the skills they need to compete for these high-technology jobs,” Governor Quinn said. ”We’ll put people to work building this new facility, and we’ll empower students with state-of-the-art tools and training they need to go out and get these good-paying, high-tech jobs.”
The project is expected to create nearly 300 construction jobs and cost a total of $42.2 million, which includes a $10.6 million contribution from City Colleges. Officials will pursue a LEED certification for the 200,000 square foot building, which will house: a high-tech warehouse environment, laboratories, workshops, classrooms and virtual reality simulation facilities. The new building will replace almost 112,000 square feet of temporary classroom space near the main Olive-Harvey College building.
“With this funding, Governor Quinn is supporting our ‘College to Careers’ program that re-engineers, re-imagines, and revolutionizes our City Colleges in order to meet the demand of the high-growth sectors of the future,” said Mayor Emanuel. “This shared investment reflects our shared determination to strengthen our economy together.”
The project is administered by the Capital Development Board, which oversees state-funded, non-road construction projects. Construction is expected to start in spring 2013 and be completed in spring 2015.
“City Colleges’ main goal is to equip our students with credentials of economic value that prepare them to compete and win the jobs of today and tomorrow,” said Chancellor Cheryl Hyman. “The TDL industry is increasingly reliant on high-skill, technology-driven jobs, and this facility will embed technology into our training programs to prepare students to hit the ground running in this fast-growing field.”
Under City College’s “College to Careers” program, industry experts are teaming up with City Colleges, to help students as teacher-practitioners and to help create training programs in City Colleges’ classrooms. This unique partnership also gives students direct access to facilities for training purposes, internships and job interviews.
Training at the Olive-Harvey TDL facility will expand to include: repairing and maintaining heavy equipment; expanded commercial drivers’ licensing; forklift operation; freight expediting, warehousing and logistics information technology; sheet metal technician; automotive technology; avionics technician; and applied engineering. Careers in these high-tech fields can have starting salaries as high as $21 per hour.
The “College to Careers” partnership currently focuses on two industries: transportation, distribution and logistics at Olive-Harvey College, and healthcare at Malcolm X College. Over the next three years, programs in other high-demand sectors will be added. Mayor Emanuel and City Colleges just announced a $479 million, five-year capital plan which includes a new $251 million campus for Malcolm X College, including an Allied Health Academy.
City Colleges’ “College to Careers” partners in transportation, distribution and logistics include: Coyote Logistics, UPS, Canadian National Railway, Union Pacific, AAR Corporation, BNSF, Schneider Finance Inc. and United Airlines. Its healthcare partners include: Rush University Medical Center, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, University of Chicago Hospitals, Advocate Health Care, University of Illinois at Chicago, Jesse Brown VA, Walgreens, CVS, John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Baxter and the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council.
Governor Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! program includes $1.5 billion for higher education, including $788 million for public universities and $400 million for community colleges. The overall $30 billion program is expected to create 439,000 construction jobs.
Showing posts with label community college. Show all posts
Showing posts with label community college. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Southern Illinois Beef Conference at Rend Lake on Thursday, July 14
Cow-calf producers are encouraged to attend the second annual Southern Illinois Beef Conference on Thursday, July 14, in the Applied Science Center at Rend Lake College, Ina.
This conference will provide practical, reliable and relevant beef production information from university experts. Producers will also have the opportunity to network with other beef producers to share successes and challenges.
Rebecca Atkinson, a Southern Illinois University animal scientist, will discuss the use of distillers grains in cow-calf operations.
University of Illinois veterinarian Sherrie Clark, DVM, will discuss modified live versus killed vaccines as well as trichomoniasis.
Beef producers will have the opportunity to engage in a roundtable discussion with Atkinson and Clark.
Other topics include nutritional programming of developing fetuses by U of I Extension specialist Teresa Steckler and pasture weed management by Robert Bellm, U of I Illinois Extension educator.
Veterinarian and veterinarian technicians will be able to receive 3.75 CED units. Beef industry products and services will be on display.
A $15 conference registration fee is due by July 1. This fee includes lunch. Late and at-door registration is available at $20 but does not guarantee lunch. Register online at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/jefferson or contact Patti Fitzpatrick at 618-242-0780.
This conference will provide practical, reliable and relevant beef production information from university experts. Producers will also have the opportunity to network with other beef producers to share successes and challenges.
Rebecca Atkinson, a Southern Illinois University animal scientist, will discuss the use of distillers grains in cow-calf operations.
University of Illinois veterinarian Sherrie Clark, DVM, will discuss modified live versus killed vaccines as well as trichomoniasis.
Beef producers will have the opportunity to engage in a roundtable discussion with Atkinson and Clark.
Other topics include nutritional programming of developing fetuses by U of I Extension specialist Teresa Steckler and pasture weed management by Robert Bellm, U of I Illinois Extension educator.
Veterinarian and veterinarian technicians will be able to receive 3.75 CED units. Beef industry products and services will be on display.
A $15 conference registration fee is due by July 1. This fee includes lunch. Late and at-door registration is available at $20 but does not guarantee lunch. Register online at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/jefferson or contact Patti Fitzpatrick at 618-242-0780.
Monday, April 27, 2009
ICCB Increasing Effort to Reach High School Dropouts
From the Illinois Community College Board
SPRINGFIELD — The number of adults in Illinois with less than a ninth-grade education is growing, and costing the state billions of dollars, the Illinois Community College Board warns.
“The number of adults with less than a ninth-grade education has increased by seven percent since 2004,” said Guy Alongi, chairman of the Illinois Community College Board, citing figures from the 2008 U.S. Census. “This is an incredible jump, and a tremendous expense to the Illinois taxpayers.”
But Alongi says there is also a solution: Through the general education development (GED) program offered through Illinois community colleges, there is a way for these adults to earn the equivalency of a high school diploma.
“The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) is making a concerted effort to promote the GED program and reach out to individuals who do not have a high school diploma,” Alongi announced.
In all, more than 1.8 million of Illinois’ 10 million adults have less than 12 grades of formal education. Included in this number are close to 731,000 people with less than nine grades.
The ICCB’s announcement follows a recent study that outlined the fiscal burden Illinois taxpayers bear for those with less than a high school diploma. According to the study, released by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Boston’s Northeastern University, each high school dropout costs Illinois $221,000 over the course of their lifetime.
“This is a cost that is increasing, not declining,” said Dr. Karen Hunter Anderson, vice-president for adult education and instructional support at the ICCB. “Illinois taxpayers should find this alarming.”
Anderson proudly reported that 15,734 individuals in Illinois earned a GED in 2008, giving these individuals the opportunity to further employment, training, and post-secondary education. But, Anderson noted, in comparison to the problem, there is still much to do.
For instance, the Shawnee Community College District alone, made up of Union, Pulaski, Alexander, Massac, and a portion of Jackson and Johnson counties, has 15,751 adults 16 years of age and older who are not currently enrolled in high school and listed as earning less than those with a high school diploma.
“I agree with the ICCB, it is evident that we must do more to reach out to those who do not have a high school diploma, and encourage those who are in school to finish,” said James Darden, the college’s dean of adult education.
Shawnee Community College is moving to expand GED programming from two nights per week to four nights, and making the alternative high school program an option for at-risk students.
Anderson said that given the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in today’s society, adult education services are needed now more than ever. Besides the number of individuals in Illinois who have not earned a high school diploma or GED, Anderson outlined other issues proving that there is a critical need for adult education in Illinois:
SPRINGFIELD — The number of adults in Illinois with less than a ninth-grade education is growing, and costing the state billions of dollars, the Illinois Community College Board warns.
“The number of adults with less than a ninth-grade education has increased by seven percent since 2004,” said Guy Alongi, chairman of the Illinois Community College Board, citing figures from the 2008 U.S. Census. “This is an incredible jump, and a tremendous expense to the Illinois taxpayers.”
But Alongi says there is also a solution: Through the general education development (GED) program offered through Illinois community colleges, there is a way for these adults to earn the equivalency of a high school diploma.
“The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) is making a concerted effort to promote the GED program and reach out to individuals who do not have a high school diploma,” Alongi announced.
In all, more than 1.8 million of Illinois’ 10 million adults have less than 12 grades of formal education. Included in this number are close to 731,000 people with less than nine grades.
The ICCB’s announcement follows a recent study that outlined the fiscal burden Illinois taxpayers bear for those with less than a high school diploma. According to the study, released by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Boston’s Northeastern University, each high school dropout costs Illinois $221,000 over the course of their lifetime.
“This is a cost that is increasing, not declining,” said Dr. Karen Hunter Anderson, vice-president for adult education and instructional support at the ICCB. “Illinois taxpayers should find this alarming.”
Anderson proudly reported that 15,734 individuals in Illinois earned a GED in 2008, giving these individuals the opportunity to further employment, training, and post-secondary education. But, Anderson noted, in comparison to the problem, there is still much to do.
For instance, the Shawnee Community College District alone, made up of Union, Pulaski, Alexander, Massac, and a portion of Jackson and Johnson counties, has 15,751 adults 16 years of age and older who are not currently enrolled in high school and listed as earning less than those with a high school diploma.
“I agree with the ICCB, it is evident that we must do more to reach out to those who do not have a high school diploma, and encourage those who are in school to finish,” said James Darden, the college’s dean of adult education.
Shawnee Community College is moving to expand GED programming from two nights per week to four nights, and making the alternative high school program an option for at-risk students.
Anderson said that given the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in today’s society, adult education services are needed now more than ever. Besides the number of individuals in Illinois who have not earned a high school diploma or GED, Anderson outlined other issues proving that there is a critical need for adult education in Illinois:
- Approximately 2.34 million Illinois residents speak a language other than English as the primary language in their home. English literacy skills for entry and advancement in the labor force are needed by many of these residents.
- Almost 644,000 immigrants are currently residing in Illinois. Many of these individuals need English literacy and civics education to participate more fully in education and the workforce and to obtain citizenship.
- Said Anderson, “If something isn’t done now to curb these problems the cost to Illinois taxpayers is only going to escalate. We can’t reach everyone overnight, but should work at a pace that allows for these numbers to decrease instead of increase.”
For more information, contact Anderson at the ICCB by phoning 217-785-0086.
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