Davids Celebrates Final Passage of Job Training Funds for Kansas City Kansas Community College
KANSAS CITY, KS – Today, Representative Sharice Davids joined Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC) President Dr. Greg Mosier and community partners to celebrate passage of Davids' funding request for KCKCC's Automation Engineering Technology Program, supporting workforce training in manufacturing and engineering industries.
Last week, the President signed a government funding law fulfilling Davids' request for $1,900,000 to purchase equipment for the program. With this funding, students will train on real-life equipment and be better prepared to enter the workforce with good-paying manufacturing and technology roles. The equipment will eventually be housed in KCKCC's Downtown Community Education Center, a model public-private partnership facility that will offer wrap-around services to residents of Kansas City, Kansas.
Rep. Davids with KCKCC engineering student
"It was great to hear from students, faculty, and community partners today about the impact of the funding that we worked together to secure. We're investing on our workforce right here in Kansas City, so that we can fill manufacturing jobs and create a future made in Kansas,"said Davids. "This project passed detailed reviews and met significant standards, and it will help KCKCC develop the next generation of workers for decades to come."
The KCKCC project funding was passed along with H.R. 2471, the broader government funding bill for fiscal year 2022. This investment will purchase state-of-the-art equipment for the Automation Engineering Technology Program, which helps students train for good-paying and high-demand manufacturing jobs. Kansas has gained 5,400 manufacturing jobs since President Biden took office, and manufacturing is the third largest industry sector in Wyandotte County, employing 9,644 people. The Davids-requested funding will help fill those jobs with Kansas City-area workers.
"The Kansas City Kansas Community College Automation Engineering Technology program is designed to take a comprehensive approach to training that prepares graduates for high paying careers in Advanced Manufacturing, which is a key industry for the state of Kansas and Wyandotte County. As the manufacturing sector is expected to continue to grow and become more technically oriented over the coming decade, there is a critical need for comprehensive career and technical education programs to produce highly qualified and skilled technicians in the advanced manufacturing and logistics sectors," said Dr. Greg Mosier, President of Kansas City Kansas Community College. "KCKCC's new program will provide exceptional training with state-of-the-art equipment and the opportunity for individuals to prosper financially and improve the quality of life for them and their families. In Year 1, KCKCC estimates the Automation Engineering Technology program will enroll 60 students; these numbers will continue to increase over time and will translate into rewarding careers for graduates entering the workforce. Sponsored by Representative Davids, the $1.98 million received in community project funding to purchase state of the art equipment for this program is tremendous. Her support and continued commitment to this project and Wyandotte County will help move people from poverty to prosperity for generations to come."
Rep. Davids speaking at the future site of the KCKCC Downtown Community Education Center
Members of Congress were able to request federal resources for up to 10 projects with demonstrated community support. Out of hundreds of bipartisan submissions, eight Davids-requested projects were passed into law. Each project was submitted in tandem with local officials and selected for its potential to improve health and safety in the community, tackle climate change, and bring economic opportunity to the Third District. In total, more than $15.7 million is coming to the Kansas Third.