(Creston-Denison) — Two KMAland community colleges have received substantial state grants to expand their career academy opportunities.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education announced Thursday nearly $4 million in competitive grants through the state’s Career Academy Incentive Fund. Among those receiving funding were Southwestern Community College in Creston and Western Iowa Tech Community College in Denison–each receiving $1 million grants.
Per the release, Southwestern plans to use the dollars to add a welding technology career academy at its existing regional center in Creston and construct a skilled trades facility, including classroom and lab space for existing academies in carpentry, building trades, and electrical technology. Officials say renovations to existing spaces will provide the classroom and lab resources for the welding program.
Meanwhile, Western Iowa Tech plans to use its grant to add career academies for health sciences, welding technology, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning–operating out of the college’s regional center in Denison. The center is slated to open this fall with agriculture, automotive, business, and education career academies, before adding the three new programs in the fall of 2026.
Other recipients included Northwest Iowa Community College and Iowa Central Community College, which received $1 million and $944,000 grants respectively. More information on the state’s Career Academy Incentive Fund is available at educate.iowa.gov.