Southeast Community College recently celebrated its new Crete Carrier Diesel and Welding Center on its Milford campus with a grand opening and open house.
“Today we are celebrating a new facility that will allow these outstanding faculty to train and inspire talented students in the finest diesel technology facility in the country,” said SCC President Dr. Paul Illich.
The $13 million, 52,000 square-foot facility includes six training labs, a welding center, computer lab and shop areas that will be utilized by SCC’s Diesel-Ag Equipment and Diesel Technology-Truck programs as well as welding courses. The new space also allows the school to expand the number of students who enroll. Applications to diesel tech programs have continued to increase over the past 14 years.
“We now have a state-of-the-art facility to match the top-notch program content we’ve always prided ourselves in having,” said Karl Eickhoff, Diesel Technology-Truck instructor. “We can’t wait to get settled into this new facility and watch the students take pride in the spaces in which they’re learning.”
According to Eickhoff the SCC Career Services Center currently has 84 job postings for the diesel field alone. Many employers are offering some form of tuition reimbursement or scholarship program to students.
“Nebraska is fortunate in so many ways, but one thing we are short on is enough manpower,” said Tonn Ostergard, Crete Carrier CEO & Chairman. “So it is extremely important that we have incredibly talented young people that we’re giving them the education and opportunities to stay right here in Nebraska.”
In addition to the lead gift from the Acklie Charitable Foundation, other businesses with named spaces inside the facility are Truck Center Companies, NMC Cat, and Inland Truck Parts & Service.
The SCC-Milford campus is served electrically by NPPD Retail.
Source: Southeast Community College