Community college to set up job training center on wheels

CHICAGO HEIGHTS, Ill. (AP) - A suburban Chicago community college will receive a federal grant worth about $940,000 to set up a job training center in two semi-truck trailers.

The Daily Southtown reports that Prairie State College will use the Commerce Department money to buy two 53-foot-long trailers and outfit them with equipment to teach welding and machining skills. Officials say the school will provide training at area manufacturing businesses and in communities where jobs and access to training are scarce.

Craig Schmidt, Prairie State's vice president of community and economic development, says the college expects the program to let local companies retain 100 jobs and create 350 jobs over two years.

Schmidt says the grant money will cover about half the cost of the trailers. Prairie State will explore sponsorships to cover the rest.

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Information from: Southtown Star, http://southtownstar.chicagotribune.com/