December 7, 2006

Congratulations to Northeast Community College

Press Release

On December 1, 2006, Governor Dave Heineman awarded $60,000 to Northeast Community College in Norfolk through the Value-Added Agricultural (VAA) grant program. The money will be used to develop the curriculum and courses that lead to an associate degree in biofuels production. The program will also address economic and personnel needs of area farmers and the biofuels industry.

With the increase in ethanol production in Nebraska and across the United States, there is a growing demand for training and education of potential employees in specific skills. The growing number of plants requires an expanded pool of people with skills that apply to ethanol plant operations. Many prospective ethanol industry employees must also have an interest in living in the smaller communities that host plants.

Training and education needs of Nebraska ethanol plants can best be met by the community college system in coordination with the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) and ethanol producers. DED administers the Job Partnership Training Act which provides funding for special skills training at Nebraska companies including ethanol plants when needed. The Nebraska Ethanol Board is pleased to support the development of the biofuels training and education program.

The curriculum offered by Nebraska Community Colleges uses successful programs in Minnesota and Iowa as a template and modifies the educational programs to specifically fit Nebraska ethanol plant educational requirements.

The Nebraska Ethanol Board along with Northeast Community College, Norfolk Public Schools, Elkhorn Valley Economic Development Council, Aquila, Elkhorn Valley Ethanol, Siouxland Ethanol, Nebraska Public Power District, Husker Ag Processing, Northeast Nebraska Economic Development District, and LP Gill Landfill will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.