Northeast Iowa Community College receives $100,000 Career and Intermediary Program Expansion grant

A $100,000 Career and Intermediary Program Expansion grant to NICC will be used to expand programming to high school students in the NICC district who receive vocational rehabilitation support.  This additional funding will enable currently under-served high school students to take part in career readiness and work-based experiences.

Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS) and administrators from the college and area high schools have identified eight high schools within the NICC district that would benefit from the expanded intermediary program. These schools have approximately 75 students who would be able to participate in work-based learning activities through IVRS funding and support.

Because current school and IVRS staff members do not have the resources to assist these students, the grant will allow NICC to hire a full-time success coach to address this service gap. The success coach will provide not only career counseling, but also assist students with transportation barriers to ensure that site tours and job shadows are available and accessible. The grant-funded employee will use career pathway maps with students to identify different education and career options, while capitalizing on the industry connections established by IVRS and the NICC intermediary program.