Cowley College will receive $4 million in state matching funds to help construct and furnish a Career and Technical Education Center on its Ark City campus.
That funding is part of the state budget signed Wednesday by Governor Laura Kelly. The money is available to the school as long as funds are matched by non-state resources.
Community College leadership and their advocates pressed for the funding of this initiative for Southcentral Kansas because of the need to scale-up training to meet business demands for skilled employees.
“These matching dollars are invaluable in jumpstarting this urgent and high impact project that will increase the capacity and options to deliver training to meet the needs of the Kansas business community and will allow students to train for high-wage and high-demand positions open in Kansas businesses,” said Cowley College President Dr. Dennis C. Rittle. “We appreciate the investment into student success and the advancement of workforce training.”
In a recent interview with NewsCow, Gary Wilson – chairman of the college’s board of trustees, said he and other trustees saw tech ed efforts as a top priority for the school.
Once constructed, the Career and Technical Education Center will feature new and expanded training options in carpentry and construction trades, welding, electromechanical maintenance, and other high-wage, high-demand careers in the region.
“My goal is to see Cowley County continue to thrive and grow,” said Senate Majority Leader Larry Alley, a Republican from Cowley County. “By supporting workforce training initiatives like the new Cowley College CTE center, we ensure our kids and grandkids have meaningful professional opportunities beyond high school. This is an investment in the future I’m proud to support.”
When asked about his support for the project, Cowley College service area representative and Appropriations Vice Chair Rep. Kyle Hoffman, a Sumner County Republican, said, “As a longtime supporter of workforce training, it was an easy decision to support the one-time funding of projects like the Cowley College Career and Technical Education Center in Ark City.
Local businesses need skilled employees, and this investment is key to making that happen.”Anyone wishing to learn more about job training opportunities at Cowley College should visit www.cowley.edu for more information. In addition to future expansion, the College currently offers a variety of skilled workforce training options, many of which include funding to offset the cost of tuition.