Gillette College to receive $1.8M for workforce development

GILLETTE (WNE) — Gillette College will receive about $2 million to expand workforce development and kick-start a new commercial driver's license program.
 
The $1,235,000 provided by the state will create a workforce and community development program at the college, according to a Gillette Community College District press release. The college will receive another $600,000 from the Board of Cooperative Higher Education Services, specifically for CDL program equipment and supporting operating costs.
 
The funding is part of the $26 million Gov. Mark Gordon earmarked for phase two of the Wyoming Innovative Partnership. The partnership came about in 2021 at Gordon's request. It streamlines the communication and alignment of community colleges across the state with each other, the University of Wyoming and the state’s business council and workforce services.
 
The goal is to focus efforts in developing the state’s economy and workforce.
 
Across the state and nation, there’s been an increased need for trained CDL drivers and locally the college receives requests for CDL training weekly, said Travis Grubb, Gillette College Dean of Career and Technical Education, in the press release.
 
The hope is for the first group of students to begin the program in spring of 2024.
 
College officials submitted the application for the second phase of funding in February.
 
Phase two of the partnership runs from this July through June 2024 and focuses on starting up workforce programming and large-scale collaboration between partners across the state.
 
This story was published on April 12, 2023.