WABASH,Indiana — Ivy Tech Community College Northeast’s Wabash Campus has again received a grant from the Pauline J. Barker Educational Trust. The $34,488 grant will fund training for local workers who aim to improve their technical skills for career advancement. This is the fourth year this grant has been used to promote industrial skills training.
The grant-funded Industrial Technology classes will be offered during the upcoming academic year, and the grant will cover tuition, books, and some transportation costs for students.
“Most of these students are already working at local industries, and their new skills will benefit both them and their employers, leading to a more skilled workforce in Wabash County,” says Pamella Guthrie, Wabash Campus site director.
Over the last three years, 36 students received training through this grant in industrial electricity, machine tool, and welding. Eleven of those students received a Certificate of Technology in Industrial Electricity.
“Each year that we have focused on industrial skills training, we have increased the number of skilled workers in Wabash County,” according to the grant proposal.
Since 2003, the trust has provided more than half a million dollars toward helping Wabash County adults attain the education and skills needed to succeed in the workplace. As the manager of the Wabash’s Rock City Café for many years, Barker saw the need for adult education in the community. Her decision to form a trust for adult students helps the region reach its Big Goal, which aims to increase the percent of northeast Indiana residents with a degree or certificate by 2025.
Ivy Tech Community College is the state’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its community along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.