JWCC Trustees updated on Workforce Development Center expansion project

QUINCY — The John Wood Community College Board heard a report on progress being made on the Workforce Development Center expansion during its Wednesday night meeting.

The Workforce Development Center (WDC) expansion project is assisted with a federal grant that was awarded to JWCC in June 2021. It’s a $6.1 million project with 50 percent federal grant funding and a 50 percent local match from the college.

Klingner & Associates/BLDD is overseeing the project.

The 14,170 square foot expansion at the 4220 Kochs Lane site will include the following: 

• A new Truck Driving Training addition.
• Expansion of the building’s east side including a new physical building entrance.
• An expanded space for HVAC, and Business and Industry. 
• A remodel of the current interior of the building to include expanded space for welding, industrial maintenance and manufacturing, robotics and automation.
• A flexible use-space for new programs.

A new road entrance off 42nd Street will also be added that leads to an expanded parking area. The grant also includes the purchase of additional Career and Technical Education program equipment.

Project construction is expected to begin this summer, with planned completion anticipated in the fall of 2023.

Joe Knochel, Senior Project Manager with Klingner & Associates said, “It is exciting to be near the end of the design phase of this project.  We are proud to design a building that will energize the interest in these career paths.”

“John Wood continues to be fluid, nimble and flexible on how we can adjust our curriculum and training facilities to address the local current workforce needs,” said JWCC President Michael Elbe. “We continue to make investments for workforce training in the areas of manufacturing, agriculture, transportation/logistics, health sciences and many other career technical programs. The College is expanding our career education programs, and these training programs all require physical space to conduct hands-on training. Leveraging federal grant dollars and private funding is an excellent opportunity to provide in-demand programs and state-of-the-art facilities for this region to support the workforce needs of the Tri-State area.”

In other business, the Board: 

Authorized submission of a $23,000 grant application to the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) for Developmental Education Co-Requisite Instruction.

Authorized submission of a $13,000 grant application to the ICCB for Transitional English Instruction.

Authorized submission of a $4,500 reoccurring grant application to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation for Adult Education / GED Testing Fees. 

Granted tenure for full-time faculty members: Justin Lewis, Joni Smith, Richard Gertz and Matthew Carey effective at the beginning of the 2022-2023 academic year.