Lamar Community College (LCC) recently collaborated with Colorado Mills, a prominent agriculture manufacturing business in the community, to implement an innovative training program for 30 Colorado Mills employees. This initiative, made possible through the Skill Advance Colorado grant, marks a significant step towards fostering local economic development and empowering businesses in the region.
Skill Advance Colorado, jointly administered by the Colorado Community College System and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, offers funding opportunities to businesses partnering with community colleges through customized training. The grants fund short-term training to up-skill, re-skill, and next-skill workers in a wide range of essential and technical skill development.
LCC’s partnership with Colorado Mills showcases the effectiveness of the Skill Advance Colorado program. By identifying a crucial need for basic electrical and motor control training, LCC designed a tailored program that directly addresses the challenges faced by the business. “Lamar Community College is honored to be at the forefront of local workforce training through the implementation of customized programs supported by the Skill Advance Colorado grant. This initiative underscores our dedication to tailored training solutions as we aim to foster workforce skills development and, in the process, help empower businesses in our region for stability and growth,” shared Dr. Rosana Reyes, President of LCC.
Colorado Mills, a producer of high-quality sunflower oil for both human consumption and animal feed, had been grappling with frequent reliance on external electrician support, leading to significant costs and potential production delays. Recognizing the importance of mitigating these challenges, the training program focused on providing essential skills to the workforce, enabling them to conduct basic electrical maintenance and motor control tasks effectively.
The training curriculum, which commenced with classroom education held at the LCC CTE Building from April 24th, April 25th, and May 1st, to May 2nd, 2024, covered electrical terminology, graph interpretation, and equipment tag reading. This theoretical foundation was complemented by hands-on training using electrical trainers programmed to resemble the motors within the manufacturing and refinery warehouses. Each employee received a workbook to reinforce the knowledge gained during the training sessions, ensuring retention and practical application of skills.
For businesses seeking to enhance their workforce capabilities and competitiveness, connect with the LCC Workforce Development Department, Courtney Morris at Lamar Community College, Courtney.Morris@lamarcc.edu, or 719-336-1527 for assistance with training needs assessment, grant application development, and training implementation. For general Skill Advance program information, visit https://cccs.edu/workforce-development/employer-resources/skill-advance-colorado-grants/.