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$1.7 Million to Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon for Job Training Program will Prepare Students for Careers in Biotechnology
 
Senator Chuck Grassley announced the U.S. Department of Labor is awarding $1,740,322 to Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon to create a Lab Technician Program for the Bioscience/Biotechnology Careers.
 
The grant has three components: 
1) The project will develop a two-year Associate Degree Lab Technician Program for Bioscience/Biotechnology Careers. 
2)  Business and Industry training for existing employees of businesses to receive updated skill enhancement and certification. 
3)  High school pre-training program in science and internships.
 
The U.S. Department of Labor received 388 proposals nation wide. Seventy colleges in 40 states received the funding for a total dispersion of $125 million. Northwest Iowa Community College was the only college in Iowa to receive funding through the grant.   
 
Dr. Bill Giddings, President of NCC, commented, “The program will target life science, value added agriculture, and the environmental protection industries in northwest Iowa. This would include food production, ethanol, bio-diesel, animal genetics, waste water and medical industries. This is a great opportunity for NCC!”
 
Senator Grassley stated, “These funds will help Northwest Iowa Community College prepare students for good jobs in the rapidly, growing biotechnology field. It's important that Iowa has the capability to prepare students for good jobs in high-growth areas.”
 
This grant is through the federally funded Community-Based Job Training Grant program. The program's purpose is to build the capacity of community colleges to train workers for the skills required to succeed in high growth, high demand industries.