In support of its successful record of developing the health care workforce and the leading role it will continue to have, Ozarks Technical Community College was awarded a nearly $5.7 million Strengthening Community Colleges grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Ozarks Tech is among only 18 institutions across the country to receive the funding and is the only awardee in Missouri. In total, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded $65 million in grants, with the largest award size being $5.75 million. The grants, which were officially announced Dec. 30, 2024, are designed to bolster workforce training.

“Ozarks Tech is known for our leadership in high-quality workforce development, and we are proud to be included in this select group of recipients from across the country,” said Ozarks Tech Chancellor Hal Higdon. “It is an honor to be recognized and entrusted with this award to continue to better serve the students and employers of this region.”

The grant provides significant funds that will enable Ozarks Tech to expand training programs in health care – a high-wage, high-demand field in southwest Missouri with a critical need for trained workers. The funds will be used to create pathways to health care education that will serve high school students, underemployed or unemployed individuals, and those seeking to transition into or advance within the health care profession. They will also provide tuition assistance to participants and help offset health care program costs.

In addition, the grant will help expand facilities at the Alliance for Healthcare Education building and will integrate simulation technology for greater health care instruction. The plans include a 12-bed skilled nursing lab, an additional radiology room and ultrasound room, and other needed educational equipment. The Alliance mission, of which Ozarks Tech is a founding partner with Springfield Public Schools, CoxHealth and Missouri State University, is to create a sustainable pipeline of health care workers for decades to come.

According to the Missouri Hospital Association’s 2024 Workforce Report for the Ozark Region, professions such as nursing (both registered and licensed practical nurses), radiography and sonography experience high vacancy and turnover rates in the area. By the end of this four-year grant, Ozarks Tech anticipates there will be nearly 3,500 trained individuals to help meet area workforce needs, including licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, radiology technicians, sonographers, emergency medical technicians and certified nursing assistants.

As part of Ozarks Tech’s grant application, a consortium of other partners will also collaborate in the activities, including:

  • Missouri State University
  • Ozark Region Workforce Development Board
  • Springfield Public Schools
  • Community Partnership of the Ozarks
  • Missouri Nursing Association
  • Missouri Hospital Association
  • CoxHealth
  • Mercy Hospital
  • Lake Regional Health Systems
  • Alliance for Healthcare Education

“As Ozarks Tech continues to lead the way in health care education, there’s always the conversation of how to best fund the work we need to do for the benefit of our region,” said Paula Adams, chair of the Ozarks Tech Board of Trustees. “We’re very grateful to the U.S. Department of Labor for making this investment in our institution and supporting the impact we will continue to make on workforce training.”