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SCC will issue bonds for job training
by diane vance/gate city staff writer
Southeastern Community College will train numerous workers over the next months for new jobs in the region by issuing bonds that will be paid back by the companies employing new workers.
Chuck Betts, executive director of the Center for Business and Industry Services (CBIS) at SCC, presented five preliminary agreements at Monday's board of trustees meeting.
“This is very exciting,” said Betts. “These new jobs will be very good for several communities.”
The largest bond is $2 million to job-train employees for Siemens Power Generation. Siemens will employ 250 within 12 months at the former Wabash Plant south of Fort Madison to manufacture blades for wind turbines.
“Our final agreement will be in January,” said Betts. “We'll do some training at the plant, we'll do some assessments. We may send some U.S. people to Germany and bring some German employees to Fort Madison for job training. We'll use SCC's training centers in Fort Madison, Keokuk and West Burlington. Siemens is projecting to begin producing turbine blades in the first half of 2007.”
SCC sells bonds funded by Iowa Department of Economic Development available for training new employees, new plants or growth of an existing industry. The amount of the bond is based on the number of employees, amount of wages and the period of time for payback.
“The bond is retired over a long period by the industry,” said Betts.
SCC also signed preliminary agreements for:
A $95,000 bond for jobs training at MPC Enterprises in Mount Pleasant which will provide 26 new jobs.
A $150,000 bond for jobs training at Tri-City Energy for 16 jobs with an average wage of $17.37 per hour. Tri-City Energy is a new biodiesel plant in Keokuk.
A $115,000 bond for jobs training at Tjaden Biosciences in Burlington for eight jobs at an average of $34 per hour. Tjaden is a highly technical company that implants radioactive isotopes into molecules of research drugs for pharmaceutical companies. The new company is expected to begin production in late spring or early summer with a projected revenue of $7 million.
A $155,000 bond for jobs training with Morse Rubber in Keokuk for 23 jobs at an average wage of $16.26. Morse Rubber has been in production since the close of Metso Minerals in Keokuk, under the ownership of local private investors.
A public hearing to issue the bonds is set for Oct. 9.
Monday's board of trustees meeting was held on Keokuk's campus. Tim Ahern, dean of south campus, updated the board on fall semester.
“We moved the bookstore from its former location near the administrative offices to the 300 building, in the middle of the academic area,” he said. “It's worked out well. Sales are up in non-book items, so we know traffic has picked up.
“Our Success Center is now in Bowles Hall, in the 500 building. It's a little smaller, but is running well.”
Keokuk's campus has previously offered criminal justice classes, but all in the evening. Now, the majority of those classes are offered during the day. Credit hours in criminal justice increased this semester, Ahern said.
“We have a four-year (program) presence here with Hannibal-LaGrange College,” he said. “We have two evening programs running for the past four years, administration of justice and occupational organization management. We have students who have completed their four-year degrees here at Keokuk.
“We are working with Culver-Stockton College to get a graphic arts degree,” he said.
Keokuk has four ICN classes and two new Internet video conferencing classes.
In October, Keokuk will offer new eight-week classes that meet twice a week; industrial maintenance, print reading and a music or art class, said Ahern.
Over Christmas break, SCC south campus is offering three seven-by-seven classes in sociology, U. S. history II and psychology.
“Our target audience is students at regent universities home for the holidays who want to take one class and get it out of the way over break,” said Ahern. “But SCC students can also take the classes.”
He also reported Keokuk campus has 550 to 600 students taking classes, plus 130 high school students enrolled in dual credit courses in the arts and sciences and 50 high school students enrolled in dual credit vocational tech classes.
“Thanks for all of your support for us here,” Ahern told the board and administrators.
SCC's enrollment for all campuses is 3,320, a 2.6 percent increase over the previous year.
Chuck Betts, executive director of the Center for Business and Industry Services (CBIS) at SCC, presented five preliminary agreements at Monday's board of trustees meeting.
“This is very exciting,” said Betts. “These new jobs will be very good for several communities.”
The largest bond is $2 million to job-train employees for Siemens Power Generation. Siemens will employ 250 within 12 months at the former Wabash Plant south of Fort Madison to manufacture blades for wind turbines.
“Our final agreement will be in January,” said Betts. “We'll do some training at the plant, we'll do some assessments. We may send some U.S. people to Germany and bring some German employees to Fort Madison for job training. We'll use SCC's training centers in Fort Madison, Keokuk and West Burlington. Siemens is projecting to begin producing turbine blades in the first half of 2007.”
SCC sells bonds funded by Iowa Department of Economic Development available for training new employees, new plants or growth of an existing industry. The amount of the bond is based on the number of employees, amount of wages and the period of time for payback.
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SCC also signed preliminary agreements for:
A $95,000 bond for jobs training at MPC Enterprises in Mount Pleasant which will provide 26 new jobs.
A $150,000 bond for jobs training at Tri-City Energy for 16 jobs with an average wage of $17.37 per hour. Tri-City Energy is a new biodiesel plant in Keokuk.
A $115,000 bond for jobs training at Tjaden Biosciences in Burlington for eight jobs at an average of $34 per hour. Tjaden is a highly technical company that implants radioactive isotopes into molecules of research drugs for pharmaceutical companies. The new company is expected to begin production in late spring or early summer with a projected revenue of $7 million.
A $155,000 bond for jobs training with Morse Rubber in Keokuk for 23 jobs at an average wage of $16.26. Morse Rubber has been in production since the close of Metso Minerals in Keokuk, under the ownership of local private investors.
A public hearing to issue the bonds is set for Oct. 9.
Monday's board of trustees meeting was held on Keokuk's campus. Tim Ahern, dean of south campus, updated the board on fall semester.
“We moved the bookstore from its former location near the administrative offices to the 300 building, in the middle of the academic area,” he said. “It's worked out well. Sales are up in non-book items, so we know traffic has picked up.
“Our Success Center is now in Bowles Hall, in the 500 building. It's a little smaller, but is running well.”
Keokuk's campus has previously offered criminal justice classes, but all in the evening. Now, the majority of those classes are offered during the day. Credit hours in criminal justice increased this semester, Ahern said.
“We have a four-year (program) presence here with Hannibal-LaGrange College,” he said. “We have two evening programs running for the past four years, administration of justice and occupational organization management. We have students who have completed their four-year degrees here at Keokuk.
“We are working with Culver-Stockton College to get a graphic arts degree,” he said.
Keokuk has four ICN classes and two new Internet video conferencing classes.
In October, Keokuk will offer new eight-week classes that meet twice a week; industrial maintenance, print reading and a music or art class, said Ahern.
Over Christmas break, SCC south campus is offering three seven-by-seven classes in sociology, U. S. history II and psychology.
“Our target audience is students at regent universities home for the holidays who want to take one class and get it out of the way over break,” said Ahern. “But SCC students can also take the classes.”
He also reported Keokuk campus has 550 to 600 students taking classes, plus 130 high school students enrolled in dual credit courses in the arts and sciences and 50 high school students enrolled in dual credit vocational tech classes.
“Thanks for all of your support for us here,” Ahern told the board and administrators.
SCC's enrollment for all campuses is 3,320, a 2.6 percent increase over the previous year.
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