Mattoon, IL -(Effingham Radio)- At the January Lake Land College Board meeting, trustees approved an intergovernmental agreement with 14 area school districts to formalize the role of the Effingham Regional Career Academy (ERCA) in providing specialized career and technical educational programs for students residing within the member districts.
The intergovernmental agreement demonstrates the commitment of all involved to propel the Effingham Regional Career Academy forward and outlines the roles and responsibilities involved in delivering the programs. Lake Land College will administer career and technical education programs that allow students at the member districts to earn high school and college credit simultaneously.
As part of Lake Land’s commitment to the agreement, the director of the Effingham Education Center will serve as the vocational/technical director of the ERCA program.
In addition, the agreement outlines usage of facilities, indicating Lake Land’s plans to construct a new facility near the Kluthe Center for Higher Education and Technology in Effingham that will provide training opportunities for incumbent and adult learners to advance their skills, as well as expose high school students to high-demand careers. The college is working with area partners to submit an application for a $7.5 million grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity to fund phase one of the construction project.
“The Lake Land College Board of Trustees, faculty and staff look forward to working with our educational and community partners to provide new pathways for high school students, incumbent workers and area residents through the Regional Career Academy,” Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said. “We are proud to take the lead in developing an educational training program that will benefit area businesses and communities by creating a highly skilled workforce through the expansion of career and technical skills training.”
The area districts involved in the ERCA Intergovernmental Agreement are Altamont High School District 10, Beecher City High School District 20, Dieterich High School District 30, Effingham High School District 40, Teutopolis High School District 50, St. Anthony High School District, Stewardson-Strasburg High School District 5A, Neoga High School District 3, Cumberland High School District 77, Louisville North Clay High School District 25, Jasper County High School District 1, Cowden-Herrick High School District 3A, Brownstown High School District 201 and St. Elmo High School District 202.
This intergovernmental agreement is just one component of the Effingham Regional Career Academy. The ERCA’s mission is to attract, retain and grow area businesses by providing sustainable pathways to high-skill, high-demand careers for high school students, adult learners and incumbent workers. Regional data found in Lake Land College’s Data for Decision Makers study indicates a need for advanced training among residents of the area. The study examined the educational attainment of the residents of the region by school district and found 60% to 80% of the residents in this area did not have a college degree.
By creating targeted educational opportunities and a pipeline of skilled individuals for area employers, the ERCA will positively impact future access to a skilled workforce, and the region’s agility in adapting to forthcoming industry trends.
In 2018, the state of Illinois recognized the ERCA as one of the Top 20 examples of local government groups sharing resources and expenses. The14 school districts and Lake Land College are joined in the ERCA by the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce, the City of Effingham, the Effingham Regional Growth Alliance and numerous area community and business leaders.
For more information about the ERCA or to find out how to get involved, visit www.effinghamregionalcareeracademy.com/.
Lake Land College District 517, located in Mattoon, Illinois, serves the second largest community college district in the state, with a total population of 189,869. The Lake Land College district comprises all or part of 15 counties and 31 public school districts in rural east central Illinois. Counties served by Lake Land College include: Christian, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Macon, Montgomery, Moultrie and Shelby.
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