Kaskaskia College President George Evans says they are ready to meet the changing training demands of local industries.
He opened the Salem Community Engagement meeting Tuesday by noting they recognize what they have done in the past may not be what is needed now.
“Industry is not going to wait for us. Industry needs people to meet their bottom line. And we as an institution has to adapt and that has been our biggest challenge for myself, the senior leadership and just the institution as a whole is to really transition the college into the adapting culture of higher ed but also the industry to make sure we are providing very quick and lean educational outcomes to the people who need it in our district. And making sure it’s very affordable.”
Evans says traditional degrees may no longer be adequate.
“The traditional 2-year degree may not necessarily be what EFI or North American Lighting needs. You guys may just need someone with entry-level industrial technology training. We still want to be that provider for you so if that means we have to adapt you have my word that we will do that. There is an old saying….adapt or die.”
Evans notes there is an advantage for the employees as well who will get credit for the training they complete.
He told the nearly two dozen Salem area community leaders in attendance that after enrollment dropped 10 and a half percent because of COVID, they have rebounded very nicely. While they are down 2.7-percent right now for fall, he anticipates they will end up with a four to five percent increase.
Evans also noted their affordability. A two-year degree at Kaskaskia College costs around $11,000, while the cost of attending the first two years at a four-year university will cost 30 to 40 thousand dollars. He adds the college now has over 200 plus articulation agreements with partnering universities.
Evans also announced through the dual credit program with the 16 high schools in the Kaskaskia College District 12,140 credit hours were earned by 1,950 students in the past school year. That amounts to a total savings of future college costs of $1,849,840 for district residents. Evans says Kaskaskia College is one of the few remaining institutions in Illinois that waives tuition costs and dual credit class fees.
