The Centralia City Council Tuesday night heard a proclamation declaring October as Manufacturing Month that includes a pledge to continue collaborative efforts to train more for manufacturing careers.
The proclamation presented by Mayor Bryan Kuder says the city, Greater Centralia Chamber of Commerce, and Kaskaskia College are committed to developing strong partnerships with area business and industry to assist in supplying them with a skilled labor force as well as forming strong regional partnerships with many towns, villages and cities within the Kaskaskia College District to assist in advancing economic development to jointly combat the local, regional and nationwide skills gap in the manufacturing and vocational trades.
Kaskaskia College President George Evans says arrangements to hold a City Council meeting at Crisp Center that houses most of the college’s vocational programs follow a tour given to Kuder and some of the councilmen following their election this spring.
“We just discussed how and what we can do to move the area together which we have not been able to do for a long time. We came up with this idea to break bread and some of the new council members have never toured Crisp so this is an eye-opening experience and was a great opportunity to do that then during Manufacturing month to share our story with the city and let them know we have their back as well.
Kuder is anxious to help promote what the college can do to improve the area’s economy.
“I mean they’ve got HVAC, electronics, carpentry, welding, all these facilities, and the educational opportunities are just overwhelming. And then to go out to the main campus and all the curriculum they offer out there. Like someone on the council said, you know this is a gem and it’s in our backyard.”
Evans added if the region is going to attack the skills gap, it just can’t be Kaskaskia College or the City of Centralia, it has to be a united effort. But
he feels a united effort has a great chance of moving the ball down the field.
Centralia Mayor Bryan Kuder holds Proclamation declaring October as Manufacturing month as City Council members and college officials look on. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
