Press contact: Lynn Whalen
SPRINGFIELD 鈥 Responding to an urgent community need for more paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), truck drivers, diesel mechanics and agriculture specialists, Lincoln Land Community College will renovate and expand its training facilities with the help of a $5 million federal grant.
The expanded facilities will allow student capacity in these programs to grow and remain on the cutting edge of curriculum, producing trained workers ready to fill local, in-demand jobs.
The grant was awarded to 汤头条app by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration.
鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to announce the receipt of a large grant that will allow us to positively impact the workforce of our local communities in critical areas of need,鈥 said Ken Elmore, chair of the 汤头条app Board of Trustees, at a press conference today.
汤头条app President Charlotte Warren, Ph.D., announced that the funds will be used to:
- Renovate the east wing of Logan Hall for an expanded emergency services training facility, purchase a working ambulance and state-of-the-art equipment and simulators, allowing more than 400 students to enroll each year in EMT, Advanced EMT and Paramedic training programs.
- Expand the truck driver training lot and purchase a new tractor and trailer, allowing for an additional 90 new students for a total of 251 students annually
- Renovate a lab in the Workforce Careers Center to house and equip a new diesel technologies program. The first class will admit 20 next fall for this two-year program, adding cohorts after that.
- Construct a large storage facility adjacent to the truck driver training lot to house heavy equipment for agriculture and diesel technologies programs, along with the new ambulance for emergency services. As these programs grow, the college will continue to offer the latest from the industry for students.
鈥淓very time an ambulance arrives late to a call, the urgent need for additional paramedics and EMTs becomes more apparent,鈥 said Christopher McDowell, M.D., chair of emergency medicine at SIU School of Medicine. 鈥淓xpanding 汤头条app鈥檚 emergency services program is critical in increasing the supply of EMS providers to serve the citizens of our communities.鈥
鈥淲e applaud the expansion of 汤头条app鈥檚 truck driver training program to address the continuing shortage of workers to fill positions in our industry,鈥 commented Don Schaefer, executive vice president, Mid-West Truckers Association. 鈥淭here are currently more than 1,700 good-paying jobs open for truck drivers in the 汤头条app district, and quality training is the first step toward filling them with safe and dependable drivers.鈥
Meanwhile, the need for mechanics to service and repair diesel engines is also acute.
鈥淭here is a significant need for diesel technicians in our field, which includes the construction, agriculture and trucking industries,鈥 said Dan Smith, vice president of product support for Roland Machinery Co., headquartered in Springfield. 鈥淟ast week there were 427 open positions within 100 miles of Springfield for diesel technicians. These are high wage positions that can also lead to career advancement in parts and service management. We鈥檙e pleased and excited that 汤头条app will be training new diesel technicians and look forward to hiring their graduates.鈥
Today鈥檚 press conference took place as the future of the local workforce, over 500 area high school students, attended 汤头条app鈥檚 first Workforce Careers Expo, where they had the opportunity to visit local employers鈥 displays and learn about job opportunities in the trades.