Heartland Community College hosts Workforce Equity Initiative Open House

 

[June 23, 2024] 

Heartland Community College is hosting an Open House for students who may be eligible for the Workforce Equity Initiative (WEI), a program that provides funded learning pathways for African American, Latinx, and low-income learners to enter the workforce.

On Thursday, June 27 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Heartland will host a WEI Open House in Community Commons Building Room 1407 on the Main Campus (1500 W. Raab Road, Normal). The event offers an opportunity for prospective students to understand the eligibility criteria for the Workforce Equity Initiative and the process to enroll in the program.

The Workforce Equity Initiative (WEI) was established in 2019 as an innovative partnership with the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, and 17 Illinois community colleges. The WEI consortium works to create, support, and expand job training opportunities for areas with identified workforce skills gaps.

Heartland received a $1,283,500.00 grant for FY24, serving 150 students. The grant supports short-term training opportunities, career and technical education certificates, and stackable credentials at Heartland.

WEI-eligible certificate programs can be completed in two years or less and are in areas with high employment opportunities including Electric Vehicle Technology, Welding, Building Maintenance, Computer Networking, HVAC, Certified Nursing Assistant, CDL Class A Truck Driving, and others.

Students eligible for the WEI grant receive funding for tuition and also a series of services including success coaching and career navigation support, fees and technology support, transportation, and childcare needs.

The Open House is free and open to the public. Attendees can pre-register at www.heartland.edu/wei.

For those driving to campus, the closest parking to the Community Commons Building is in Lot N. Bus service to Heartland is provided via the Connect Transit Yellow Route.

[Steve Fast
Assistant to the President, Public Information and Communication
Heartland Community College]