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 On
Thursday, September 29, Heartland staff were joined by
representation from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic
Affairs (DCEO), as well as local officials, and industry leaders for
the groundbreaking ceremony of the Advanced Manufacturing and
Technology Center.
The $17M facility will include new construction of the Electric
Vehicle/Energy Storage (EVES) Center, as well as remodeled space to
further support programs such as robotics, HVAC, welding, and
digital media.
“As the makeup of our regional workforce has changed we have seen an
increasing need for specialized skill training in areas such as
advanced manufacturing,” said Heartland Community College President
Keith Cornille. “With this facility we will have more resources to
meet the advanced manufacturing workforce in programs such as
Electric Vehicle technology and High-Voltage Energy Storage
Technology. Eighty percent of Heartland graduates in career programs
find employment. By expanding these educational pathways, we will
help students find a job, have an opportunity to upskill for a
better job, and a career.”
Advancement of the EVES center was made possible with a $7.5M grant
from the state’s Rebuild Illinois capital plan. The grant helped
Heartland accelerate efforts to launch programs in Electric Vehicle
Technology and High-Voltage Energy Storage in the Fall of 2021.
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“Supporting Illinois’ workforce is paramount as we work to reduce
emissions and build out our state’s clean energy economy,” said Department of
Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Sylvia I. Garcia. “Innovative
training opportunities like EVES meet the needs of our growing EV sector, while
also providing equitable career opportunities to underserved populations and
supporting economic development.”
Earlier in the month Governor JB Pritzker declared Sept. 23-Oct.
3 EV Week: a weeklong celebration designed to raise awareness about Illinois'
robust EV ecosystem – including the benefits of driving an electric vehicle as
well as choosing Illinois to locate or grow EV businesses.
The Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center project is funding in a
public/private partnership with programmatic and financial support from local
industry.
The facility has an anticipated completion date in the fall of 2023.
[Steve Fast, Heartland College]
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