CDL one of many new SWCC programs

Southwestern Community College took another big step toward adding a CDL program to their 2024/25 offerings, formally approving the plans and cost of the building addition May 14.

SWCC first moved toward adding a CDL program after Governor Kim Reynolds announced a CDL Infrastructure Grant Program in early autumn of 2023. SWCC was awarded $665,00 in October, along with nine other Iowa community colleges. This grant is being used to do a building addition and a driving range at the Agriculture Sciences Center.

Premier Commercial Services in Urbandale had the lowest bid for the building addition at $416,740. This was higher than the previously budgeted amount, but the board plans to take an additional $70,000 from the Fund 2 Economic Development Administration funds, bringing the total project budget to $1.14 million.

SWCC hopes to add more truck drivers to Southwest Iowa with this addition. According to Indeed.com, there are more than 40 CDL positions open within 25 miles from Creston. Indeed states the average truck driver makes $1,622 per week in Iowa as a base salary.

Adding more CDL drivers in Creston alone will make an impact, according to Creston Street Superintendent TJ Parsons. All of the nine employees in the street department need their CDL.

“I’ve had to jump through the hoops,” Parsons said. “It used to be, about every application you had, somebody had a CDL, or they all had CDLs. Now most of them do not have CDLs.”

To make up for this, Parsons said he will hire someone with the requirement that they receive their CDL within six months of hire. This results in many hours of training, including taking a day to drive to Ankeny or Ottumwa to take the CDL test.

“When I do that, I have to send two employees to the testing site and then that one person that took him there has to sit and wait while they’re doing the testing, and then both of them drive back,” Parsons said. “I’m paying two guys wages to drive two hours away to take a test, so I kill pretty much a whole day by testing out of town.”

With SWCC having its own CDL program, new hires wouldn’t have to travel as far to take the test, or might already have their CDL.

The new CDL program isn’t the only addition SWCC is bringing to the next school year. The board also approved three new certificates: the Paraeducator Certificate, the Pesticide Application Certificate and the Auto Collision Repair/Refinish Certificate.

Paraeducator Certificate

The Paraeducator Certificate is partly due to the Teacher and Paraeducator Registered Apprenticeship Program launched by Governor Kim Reynolds, which began two years ago. According to earnandlearniowa.gov, the program “provides additional opportunities for high school students and adult paraeducators to earn credentials all while learning and working in the classroom.”

SWCC Vice President of Instruction John Franklin said the school has been working on their own certification program since last summer. With the new certificate, students will be able to participate in the state program as well.

“We’ve already had the certificate approved by the Iowa Board of Education,” Franklin said. “When students complete this program, they’re already approved now to receive general paraeducator certification from the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners.”

The new Paraeducator Certificate will be comprised of three classes and seven credits taken over two semesters. Introduction to Education (EDU 213) would be taken the first semester, followed by Exceptional Learner (EDU 245) and Observation in Teaching (EDU 151).

Franklin said the certificate program was designed specifically for high school students.

“By the time they finish, they’ve got their paraeducator certificate and then can work back in the schools and hopefully go on to be teachers if that’s what they want to do,” Franklin said.

Pesticide Application Certificate

Franklin explained that the school would like to add a Pesticide Application Certificate both to provide more experience to students and to entice students to continue on to their associate of applied science degree in crop production.

“Southwestern has offered the crop production degree for several years, and we also offer a pesticide application course that’s designed to help students pass their commercial pesticide application certification exams,” Franklin said. “Hopefully get them a little more interested in what we offer here at Southwestern for them to continue on with the program, but if not to give them a little more skills so that they can take back to the farm so that they can be more marketable on the job market.”

The Pesticide Application Certificate will be comprised of four classes and 12 credits taken over two semesters. Introduction to Crop Science (AGA 181) and Introduction to Soil Science (AGA 182) would be taken the first semester, and Precision Farming Systems (AGP 333) and Pesticide Application Certification (AGH 284) would be taken the second semester.

If a student were to go forward with this certificate, they would already be on their way to completing their their crop production degree, as all the courses in the certificate are required for the degree.

Auto Collision Repair/Refinish Certificate

The third certificate is a bit longer than the previous two. Franklin explained the goal was to offer the Auto Collision Repair/Refinish Certificate for those that complete the high school career academy program. At 31 credits, the certificate would include almost everything a student would need to get the full degree, except for their general education credits.

“We’re seeing a number of high school students who will come, will complete the program and then just go out in the world and never receive any kind of credential from Southwestern,” Franklin said. “We would like to attract them and get them to finish the AAS degree, but if they don’t, we would like to give them something that shows the effort they put in for two years in this high school career academy program.”

More information on SWCC’s programs and certificates can be found at swcciowa.edu.