Planning for a technical college in Ashland has begun.
The school - a location of Ranken Technical College - will serve high school students and adults in Boone, Callaway, Cole, Cooper, Howard and Moniteau counties.
A committee is working to raise funds for the effort. The group hopes to receive a $4.5 million grant from the Economic Development Administration, chair Bill Lloyd said.
"The four broad areas we intend to serve are construction, health care, IT and manufacturing," he said.
The specific curricula are still being developed as the planners determine what skills are in demand locally.
Lloyd said the effort began when community leaders noticed a gap between the number of trained workers and business needs.
The effort is a partnership between the Southern Boone School District, the Mid-Missouri Regional Planning Commission, the city of Ashland and Ranken.
Lloyd said it will cost an estimated $7 million to construct the 23,000-square-foot facility and for equipment. The committee is beginning to focus on fundraising with hopes of beginning construction in the next year.
The committee hopes for the support of businesses that would benefit from trained, skilled workers, Lloyd said.
"We would love to hear from businesses who need particular training," he said.
Those interested in supporting the effort can contact Lloyd via email at [email protected].
St. Louis-based Ranken Technical College has three current locations in St. Louis, Perryville and Wentzville, offering programs in construction, manufacturing, automotive technology, architecture, electrical and information technology.