Ivy Tech is answer for many in Michigan City in bad economy

Laurie Wink, The News-Dispatch

lwink@thenewsdispatch.com

MICHIGAN CITY - With the economy still struggling, more people are turning to Ivy Tech's Michigan City campus, 3714 Franklin St., to be trained for jobs that are available.

Enrollment has grown each year for several years as workers prepare for careers in high-demand fields. Spring enrollment saw 1,050 students, and vice chancellor Jerry Huddleston expects more than 1,100 this fall.

"We're bursting at the seams," he said.

Program offerings are constantly being revamped to meet current marketplace needs, with assistance from a professional advisory group, Huddleston said.

One anticipated need has Huddleston looking at programs that would train people to work at a multimodal facility, if one were to be developed in La Porte County.

"From conversations I've had with local political officials, it seems to be a thing that will happen," Huddleston said. "I just want to make sure Ivy Tech is positioned so, when it happens, we don't have to plan what is needed."

Among the specialty areas Huddleston has looked at are classes in logistics, tracking, transportation and warehouse management. He has been scouting spaces to accommodate training in these possible new program areas.

A La Porte County Logistics Task Force was formed in 2007 to examine the potential pros and cons of locating a major transportation hub here and advise county officials. No proposals have been received from developers, and task-force meetings are on hold.

Currently, the Ivy Tech business administration program draws the most students in the La Porte County area. Huddleston said it attracts students who want to move into management positions or who are entrepreneurs with startup companies. Also popular are first-year students taking basic classes before entering two-year degree programs at other campuses in respiratory care, surgical technology and three nursing degree programs: licensed practical nurse, associate nurse and registered nurse.

Students taking liberal arts courses prior to transferring to universities also make up a large percentage of Ivy Tech's enrollment, Huddleston said. And the culinary arts program continues to gain in popularity.

Huddleston said the statewide Ivy Tech system is booming in large part because of its changed status from a network of technical schools to the state's largest community college system that prepares students for higher education.

"Indiana finally began to understand the role of a community college," Huddleston said. "We help people get started in post-secondary education. People who would never consider going to Indiana University figure out they can do the work and then transfer to another school."