The Eastern Iowa Community Colleges want to help the state train the workers it'll need for the future. So last week, the board of trustees approved a 40 million dollar bond referendum for the ballot in March (3/2).
Chancellor Don Doucette says the money will pay for new and expanded facilities in Clinton, Jackson, Muscatine, and Scott counties - to offer training in everything from robotics and welding, to agriculture and nursing.
"One of the issues that has been of great concern to me and to many of my colleagues is that we have too many high school graduates who do not pursue post-secondary training of any kind. 65 per cent of the jobs of the future require post-secondary education or training of some kind."
Adults would also have acces to these programs. Doucette says a key goal of the new facilities is to provide more opportunities for students and residents in rural areas.
"For instance we'll be building a facility next to our Clinton campus and students from Northeast, Easton Valley, Camanche, and Clinton will come there for that programming, and spend as much as half a day on the campus."
If approved, the new bonds would replace a series of bonds from 2007 that will be paid off this year, meaning no increase in property taxes. The referendum will be on the ballot on March 2nd.
