During her recent visit, Rep. Ashley Hinson shined a light on technical education, and the role community colleges play in training today’s students for tomorrow’s careers. Hinson spent time with the gas technician students in particular, many of whom will receive job offers from around the state and the nation when they graduate. As a professor at Marshalltown Community College, we take pride in the fact that we are providing a world-class education to our students; our graduates are sought after for rewarding, high-paying careers in their chosen field. When my students interview, they will likely receive job offers from local, statewide and national companies looking to pay a premium. In recent years, average starting salaries for my students range from $23-30 per hour, but sometimes as high as $50 per hour with their two-year, AAS degree.

This sounds amazing, but it’s reflective of a larger hiring trend. Employers are looking for skilled labor positions, and are often willing to pay to attract and retain top talent. Both apprenticeship programs and technical training programs fill an important role in preparing people for high paying technical positions. There are financial incentives everywhere, including the Last Dollar Scholarship, enticing people to enter these fields.

At MCC, we are excited to play our part in providing valuable workforce education. We support all training programs, and we work to provide value to our local workforce when and where we can. I found Ashley Hinson truly knowledgeable about the needs of community colleges and very genuine in the interest in the Gas Technician Program. We appreciate the opportunity to have a conversation with Rep. Hinson, and we welcome the opportunity to speak with all of our representatives. Let’s work together to be a part of the solution — we are educating the workforce. Let’s help get America working again.