NICC meeting its goals for federal labor training grant

The U.S. Department of Labor in 2012 awarded NICC and 14 other community colleges in Iowa a grant to train students in advanced manufacturing practices.

The grant is helping students in the fields of welding, machining, industrial maintenance, industrial automation, manufacturing technology, robotics, and transportation and logistics.

NICC programs in these areas include Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machinist Technician, Electronic Technology, Gas Utility Construction and Service, Industrial Electrician, Industrial Maintenance Technician, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Welding and Wind Turbine Repair Technician. The grant also supports additional short-term, four-month NICC certification programs in Certified Production Control (CPT), CNC, Entry-level Welding and Mechatronics.

NICC officials say since the start of the grant, 165 participants have enrolled in the NICC programs, a level of participation that is 110 percent of the college's four-year goal of 148 students.