SCC Press Release


Southeastern Community College, Iowa Fertilizer Company Sign Preliminary Training Agreement

Southeastern Community College and Iowa Fertilizer Company LLC have entered into a Preliminary Industrial New Jobs Training agreement for the purpose of establishing a new jobs training program to educate and train certain persons employed at the company’s new plant in Wever, Iowa.  On October 28, 2013 the two parties reaffirmed the agreement to continue to work to establish a new jobs training program. 

The plant will be the first world-scale natural gas-based fertilizer plant built in the United States in nearly 25 years. Iowa Fertilizer Company estimates it will employ approximately 165 workers once the facility is fully operational. As a part of its “Buy Iowa” pledge, the company has committed to hiring area workers for positions, and purchasing products and services from within the state of Iowa for the $1.8 billion project.

“We are excited for this partnership with Southeastern Community College that will provide us with skilled and knowledgeable workers,” said Iowa Fertilizer Company President, Shawn Rana. “Iowa Fertilizer is committed to using local workers as much as possible, and this program will allow us to do so.”

SCC President Dr. Michael Ash says that the college will do double duty to prepare workers for the plant.

“We’ll help train Iowa Fertilizer Company’s new employees once they’re hired. At the same time, we’ll also prepare current and future students so they’re qualified for open positions once they graduate,” Dr. Ash explained.

Ash continued that students in SCC’s current programs could ultimately find themselves working at the new facility. “While the majority of the openings will require industrial operations skills, the new plant is going to need people with all sorts of skill sets. From accounting to industrial maintenance to I/T – as opportunities become available, our grads will be ready to step into those roles.”

The Iowa New Jobs Training Program (260E) supports businesses adding employees through expansion or relocation to Iowa. The flexible funding of the 260E program will allow SCC to work with the Iowa Fertilizer Company to provide a training program for a productive workforce.

SCC’s Center for Business will work with Iowa Fertilizer Company to develop a training plan to provide training resources for the majority of the company’s new employees. Once hired, employees will undergo specialized training to enter positions in operations, maintenance, and logistics. Initial types of training will include safety and OSHA training, and other specialized operations training.

The new Iowa Fertilizer Company facility is a $1.8 billion project that will create more than 2,500 construction jobs and employ more than 165 permanent employees when construction is complete in late 2015. The plant will produce 1.5 to 2 million tons of fertilizer annually. Iowa Fertilizer will provide farmers across the Midwest with a reliable nitrogen source and save farmers across the country millions of dollars annually.

For more news or to learn about Southeastern Community College, visit: https://www.scciowa.edu/rss/news/index.html

 

 
 



 
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