Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
The Ivy Tech State College Orthopedic and Advanced Manufacturing Training Center and Medical Assisting Lab were introduced to the public Wednesday.
Ivy Tech administrators, instructors and students hosted an open house at the Center, 980 Executive Drive, in McElroy Hill Industrial Park, Warsaw, and at the Warsaw campus, 3755 Lake City Highway.
Region 2 Chancellor Virginia Calvin said it was a great day for the college.
She introduced elected officials and invited guests to the center at 11:15 a.m., asking Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins to say a few words.
Calvin said she met Wiggins, who also serves on the Warsaw campus task force, five years ago.
"I told him we needed land and he just smiled," Calvin said. "And he's still smiling."
Wiggins said he's still looking for land because the campus would like a home of its own instead of leasing the DePuy-owned building north of U.S. 30.
The center is the college's first "off-campus" facility and it is being leased, too, from owner David Van Vactor.
The center and the on-campus lab answer needs of the community: Trained workers for the orthopedics and health care industries.
Warsaw Campus Dean Randy Maxon said it was an exciting moment for the campus.
"The building is a direct result of partnerships with the orthopedic companies," Maxon said.
The center offers students an opportunity to earn an associate's degree in manufacturing technology. The WED manufacturing skills training program leads to a new national certification in manufacturing skills standards. People already employed can attend the center to advance their skills on the state-of-the-art lathes and mills, maintenance trainers, welding and AutoCAD stations.
Following the ribbon cutting at the center, most of the group proceeded to the Warsaw campus to tour the Medical Assisting Lab.
Calvin said the classrooms were the direct result of K21 Foundation generosity.
K21 President Willis Alt said the recent series of grants to the state college have been the best the foundation has ever made, a great reinvestment in the community and in people.
"Kosciusko Community Hospital's chief operations officer, Joan Darr, came to me and said there aren't enough trained people entering the health care field," Alt said. "We don't have enough trained people to care for us as we get older."
The assisting lab, as well as the science and patient-care labs, which opened three years ago for potential CNAs, QMAs and LPNs, address the need for workers in the health care industry.
Student Lucinda Howard talked about how she lost her job due to "downsizing" and came to Ivy Tech to become a certified medical assistant. She said she plans to return to work in the community.
The president and chief executive officer of Miller's Health Systems, Patrick Boyle, said Ivy Tech was off to a great start to provide workers for the patients in Kosciusko County.
Boyle said there were more than 800 "patient beds" adding the hospital's capacity and the nursing home residents together. A shortage of health care workers is a great concern, Boyle said.
Maxon said the assisting lab has been open for classes this year and is well used.
"This is a special moment because so many things are pulling together for the future of the community's work force."
On the Net:
www.ivytech.edu
