As higher ed costs soar, these trade programs prove popular at Southwestern IL College
The U.S. News & World Report announced Sept. 13 new data showing the average person who graduates with a bachelor’s degree owes nearly $30,000 in student loans, but community college graduates typically have fewer student debts.
Community College Review, a peer-reviewed academic journal, reported the national average debt of community college graduates is about $13,086. Illinois has the second-lowest average debt rate in the U.S. for community college graduates, with a typical loan total of $7,963.
Southwestern Illinois College has operations in Belleville, Red Bud, Granite City and East St. Louis, and the institution is home to a wide variety of career-focused programs where students can earn certifications and associate degrees.
Most high school graduates qualify for admission, and entrance testing is typically only required for programs where students receive an associate degree.
Fifty-seven percent of SWIC students received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020, according to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, via Data USA. Tuition is $118 per credit hour for SWIC students who live in District 522. Additional fees may apply, including the information technology fee ($6 per credit hour) and the student services fee ($3 per credit hour).
SWIC offers technical education programs in 15 fields, from pilot training, to welding technology, to brewing sciences.
Bradley Sparks, dean of Technical Education and Workforce Development at SWIC, said students who go into technical fields (such as electrical work and manufacturing) may earn between $30 to $40 an hour once they get settled at a company.
“We work diligently to have programs in place that are relevant to our local industries, so that these folks when they graduate are prepared to go out and enter the workforce in living-wage, secure positions,” Sparks said. “It’s not uncommon for folks to make $70,000, $80,000, $90,000 bucks a year.”
Here’s what to know about technical training at SWIC.
Technical education programs at SWIC
Depending on the program, students can receive a field certification after taking about three classes.
“Of course, the more courses that you take in an area, your breadth of knowledge is expanded and so you’re capable of applying for more positions and your job security is greater,” Sparks said.
The most popular programs are welding technology, precision machining technology and HVAR (heating, air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration), Sparks said. There are about 100 to 150 students enrolled in each of these programs at any given time.
SWIC’s welding technology program teaches students shielded metal arc welding and gas metal arc welding, as well as other skills. Welding students can earn an associate degree at SWIC, and there are also transfer opportunities to receive a bachelor’s degree at Ferris State University.
The school’s precision machining technology program trains students to set up and operate shop equipment such as mills, drill presses, computer numerical control machines and more.
SWIC offers more than 10 HVAR courses, including psychometrics and load calculations, national electrical code interpretation, commercial cooking equipment and heating fundamentals.
Several of SWIC’s technical education programs partner with local companies to provide career-specific training. One such program is Brewing Science & Operations, which focuses on skills related to hospitality, packaging and distribution, agriculture, manufacturing and business management. Brewing science courses take place at the Old Herald Brewery and Distillery in Collinsville, Sparks said.
Other technical education opportunities at SWIC include culinary arts, industrial maintenance mechanics, computer aided design and more.
How can you apply to SWIC’s technical education programs?
You can apply online to Southwestern Illinois College. The spring 2023 semester begins Jan. 14, and you can check out the Belleville or Granite City campus during regularly scheduled tours.
An estimated 1,500 metro-east high school students will get to explore the Sam Wolf Granite City Campus at Manufacturing Day Sept. 23. The event is free and open to the public, and there will be demonstrations of 3D printing, robotic operations and more.
In May, SWIC technical education students won a first-place award at the Department of Defense Project MFG National Competition. Sparks said the prize was $100,000, and most was distributed to students while the college used some of it to cover material costs.
