Cell Expert Brad Ballard works to construct a gear cutter on the machine floor at Sauer-Danfoss in the East Hills Business Park. The company is among firms, schools and the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce's partnership to offer more career and technical education opportunities.

For the last year, business and education leaders in Lawrence and Douglas County have touted a new partnership aimed at improving career and technical education opportunities here.

“I think the main thing with it is the opportunities and the possibilities are probably endless at this point,” said Bruce Passman, deputy superintendent of Lawrence public schools.

He’s talking about the effort to have Johnson County Community College instructors teach classes, including basic manufacturing courses, in Lawrence at the Lawrence Virtual School site, 2145 La.

Leaders say it will help fill a need, especially for training area workers to develop skills in manufacturing and other fields that would allow them to find competitive jobs. Passman said the collaborative program and class offerings will benefit both high school students and others wanting to take more classes.

The major development is the Douglas County Manufacturing Certificate Program, organized by Heartland Works, JCCC, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, the Lawrence and Eudora school districts, Sauer-Danfoss and Berry Plastics.

“It is an opportunity for individuals to learn in the classroom, to learn to the job to have access to a part-time internship, so they can earn while they learn,” said Stacey Walters, of Heartland Works.

Walters said the manufacturing certificate program will allow students to take 20 to 40 hours of course work from JCCC instructors. At the same time, they will have access to a paid part-time internship and become eligible for full-time employment at the end of the course.

Financing from the U.S. Department of Labor will pay tuition.

“I think this is a good start because it does provide the basic skill sets. Our desire is to continue to go beyond this point,” said Ross Freese, engineering manager at Berry Plastics.

It’s scheduled to begin in June and last through December. The Lawrence district is also gearing up to offer two health career courses at the site through JCCC in January 2009.

JCCC earlier this year already started offering math and writing skills classes in Lawrence.

Beth Johnson, the Lawrence chamber’s vice president for economic development, said leaders expect the manufacturing program to have success quite early.

Organizers have said that because two Lawrence operations, Sauer-Danfoss and Berry Plastics, shows the demand for it in the community.

Kansas University leaders signed off on the partnership, and Passman, the Lawrence schools deputy superintendent, said it will create more opportunities for students in the area who don’t plan on attending college.

“This provides another avenue for them, to go through a two-year program, take career and technical education classes and develop a skill that they can actually get to make decent paying jobs,” he said.

Patrick Kelly, a Lawrence schools curriculum specialist in fine arts and career and technical education, said overall the program is important because it’s another way to open up opportunities for Lawrence and Douglas County residents.

Schools Superintendent Randy Weseman said he had been working nearly his whole career to try to bring more career and technical education opportunities to Lawrence.

Passman said the partnership will allow Lawrence schools to expand some training programs already in place.

“We have not offered our students enough opportunities in the whole field of career and technical education because we haven’t been connected with a program,” he said.

The recent developments are likely only the early stages of the partnership, Passman said.

“The possibilities just may be endless,” he said. “That’s going to benefit our kids, and it’s going to benefit our community and our work force.”