By Tim Arnett
WABASH,Indiana – Heartland Career Center is among the Northeast Indiana agencies to benefit from the $1.3 million Skill UP Indiana! grant as announced by Indiana Governor Mike Pence on Wednesday. The award for the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership will help graduates have the skills and experiences needed by employers in manufacturing and trade areas, including welding, CNC machining and industrial maintenance.
Director Mark Hobbs told MiBash News that Heartland Career Center will specifically receive $135,000 which will be used to purchase a CNC lathe and mill.
He added that adults train at Heartland through classes offered at Ivy Tech. Hobbs went on to say that the grant is one of the biggest Heartland has received in recent years. Thirty five applications were received under the Skill UP Indiana! initiative, with only 13 making the grade. The total amount awarded for all the recipients in the state comes out to $11 million. The $1.3 million grant to the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership includes a $200,000 matching grant from the Community Foundation of Wabash County. Hobbs said that the Community Foundation did not just help out Wabash County in securing the grant from the state but the entire region, as well.