By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Missouri Western State University and North Central Missouri College have broken ground on a new center designed to boost the area's high-skilled workforce.
The $12 million Convergent Alliance Technology Center is a collaboration between the St. Joseph and Trenton colleges.
Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says the center, or CTAC for short, fits in perfect with Missouri Western’s mission as the state’s applied learning institution
"Talking about providing opportunities for our students, and also for training with adult workers, but it really gives us the opportunity to take that education piece, that training piece, from the classroom and provide a hands-on space," Kennedy tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
Kennedy says the CTAC is designed to help provide students the chance to engage in hands-on learning no matter their field
"Manufacturing, construction, cyber security, and even for workforce training," Kennedy explains. "It's a both kind of a dual purpose, it will provide the opportunities to use the equipment that our industries are currently using."
Partnerships with local manufacturing companies have helped determine what machines will be used the most at the center to help students be immediately prepared to jump into the workforce.
It was just one short year ago that Missouri Western and North Central Missouri College developed the Pirates2Griffons pathway program.
Now this new project has made ties stronger.
Kennedy says the partnership between the two schools has really helped erase a stigma
"I often hear people that will say something like, well you know a two-year degree isn't really college, and I'm like yes, it is," Kennedy says.
Kennedy says everyone in high skilled jobs need a way to get an education, which is what the partnership helps provide
"Dr. Klaver has been a joy to work with, he's just been great his whole staff his team, I was so pleased he had a couple board members that were able to come today because it is unique, you don't often see a close collaboration," Kennedy acknowledges following the groundbreaking ceremony.
Director of Corporate and Business Relations Jason Helton from NCMC says with Buchanan County now in the school’s service region this is just another way to serve more students.
"Whether it's our manufacturing partners or whether its students that are looking to skill up or students looking for something else that NCMC can offer, it allows us to have a presence here in St. Joe and Buchanan County," Helton explains.
Helton says having the building housed on the Missouri Western campus adds a unique twist to already existing partnerships between the schools
"Where a lot of our programs will transfer back and forth, credits will transfer back and forth, it's an opportunity for our students to seamlessly be a part of the higher education spectrum," Helton says.
The CTAC received a big boost in the Missouri state budget with Governor Mike Parson signing off on $2.5 million towards the project
It is estimated to be completed sometime next year.
