COLLEGE
LOOKS AT FIVE NEW PROGRAMS
Iowa Lakes Community College is considering
starting five new programs in the fall of 2005.
The five – Biomass Energy Processing,
Sustainable Energy, Pharmacy Technician, Web
Page Programming and Radiology – were presented
to the Board of Trustees at their meeting
Tuesday afternoon in Estherville.
Paperwork for the five programs will now go to
the Iowa Department of Education for approval.
It is hoped that approval will be received in
the near future so the college can officially
recruit students for the programs with a Fall of
2005 intended start date.
All of the programs were included in an online
survey conducted by the college in December of
2004. In addition, college officials contacted
experts in each of the industries to determine
their needs.
The Biomass Energy Processing Program would
initially include instruction in the
fast-growing ethanol production industry. From
an environmental point of view, the burning of
ethanol is much cleaner than fossil fuels.
Students would be exposed to classes which use
the latest known techniques for producing
alternative fuels such as ethanol and soy
diesel. Eventually the program could be
expanded to include other fuels, such as methane
(also called biogas) and hydrogen. If approved,
the program would be based at the Emmetsburg
Campus.
The Sustainable Energy Resources Management
Program would be a two-year career option
program designed to prepare students for careers
in the management of sustainable and renewable
energy resources. This is a new and rapidly
growing industry. Students would complete an
‘internship’ for credit at one of a variety of
nearly sustainable and renewable energy
businesses and industries. The goal of the
program is twofold: First to provide an
educational avenue to students who wish to
pursue a management career in the industry; and
second, to provide industry with a pool of
trained managers from which to fill positions.
This coursework would be offered at the
Estherville Campus initially.
The Spencer Campus would be the ‘home base’ for
the proposed Pharmacy Technician Program. The
career is a fast growing one. Students can be
employed at retail pharmacies as well as those
involved in home health care and hospitals.
They assist licensed pharmacists in preparing
medications. That can involve everything from
counting tablets to mixing solutions as well as
labeling bottles and completing insurance
paperwork. This coursework would likely involve
a practicum at area pharmacies.
Web Page Programming would eventually lead to an
Associate in Science degree and be transferable
to a four-year college. Students enrolled in
the program would learn to design Web pages as
well as gain knowledge of a variety of Web
software and the latest techniques available to
online users. The use of digital photography
would also be taught. This program is planned
for the Estherville Campus.
In addition, the college will ask for an
official endorsement from the Iowa Department of
Education for a one-year diploma program for
Radiology. Currently the college works in
cooperation with another community college where
students get their first year of education at
Iowa Lakes and then transfer for completion of
the coursework.
The request for the five new programs is part of
an ongoing effort by Iowa Lakes to establish
college programs in which students will be
employable at well paying jobs following
graduation. In addition, the college strives to
educate students for employment in local
businesses and industries.
