By MARK NEWMAN Courier staff writer
May 08, 2008 11:40 pm
—
OTTUMWA — Mick Lawson might agree with the old saying, “Numbers don’t lie.” Because while some people complain about a recession, he can see local economic growth on the spreadsheets in front of him.
Lawson, the dean of customized learning at Indian Hills Community College, will ask the college board Monday to approve $3.69 million in bond sales for area companies that want to participate in the Industrial New Jobs Training program.
“This one is up a fair amount over last year, and last year was up over $1 million from the previous three years,” he said Thursday. “We’ve seen an upward swing, and that’s speaks well [for] our area; that despite what we’ve seen nationally, we’ve got some companies that are busy and are expanding.”
The companies use the funds — ranging this year from $150,000 to $1.3 million — to train new hires.
“We work on a training plan with them. They can conduct leadership training, safety training, job specific training, a lot of different things,” Lawson said.
The state allows those companies to divert 3 percent from a new employee’s Iowa “withholding tax” to pay off the bond.
“We’re talking about 440 new jobs. And none of these are new businesses. All of these companies are looking at expansion, which is fantastic. We’re truly growing as a region,” Lawson said.
Many of the jobs, he said, would be in places like Appanoose, Jefferson, Mahaska, Van Buren and Wapello counties.
The college also benefits from the arrangement, partly by collecting an administration fee and partly by getting some of those training dollars back if a company sends employees for classes at Indian Hills.
It also coincides with their stated mission of helping their region develop economically.
“All community colleges here in Iowa are charged with overseeing Industrial New Job Training programs,” Lawson said.
“It’s been a great economic development tool for the state.”
Mark Newman can be reached at 683-5358 or by e-mail at mgnewman@mchsi.com.
For your information
New Jobs Training Certificates, Series 2008
Barker Company $1,290,000
Deere and Co. $685,000
Harper Brush Works, Inc. $150,000
Musco Sports Lighting, LLC $960,000
The Sky Factory, L.C. $185,000
Winger Contracting Company $420,000
The IHCC board of trustees will meet at 4 p.m. Monday at the Ottumwa campus board offices. The agenda includes a personnel report, a building report and a resolution directing the sale and delivery of $3,690,000 in Industrial New Jobs Training Certificates.
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