Garden City Community College expands construction trades and proposes electrical technology program to address local housing workforce shortage
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Summary
Garden City Community College proposed expanded construction credentials and a new electrical technology program as part of a local construction‑trades initiative to address an identified housing shortage; the committee placed both items on the consent agenda.
Garden City Community College told the Kansas Postsecondary Technical Education Authority Curriculum Committee May 15 that it will expand its construction technology offerings and add a new electrical technology program to support a local initiative aimed at addressing housing shortages in Garden City.
The construction expansion will add a Technical Certification B (31 credits), Technical Certification C (46 credits) and an Associate of Applied Science (60 credits). The new electrical technology program would offer a Technical Certification B (31 credits), Technical Certification C (46 credits) and an Associate of Applied Science (64 credits). Both proposals were presented as aligned with statewide program standards and were placed on the consent agenda.
Why it matters: Staff described a regional housing demand, saying Garden City estimated a need to create "3,930 housing units per year" in the city. The proposals include employer and community support: Garden City cited five letters of support for construction and five letters for electrical that promise internships, scholarships, prioritizing program graduates in hiring, donations and advisory‑committee participation. Chuck Pfeiffer, Dean of Technical Education and Workforce Development at Garden City, said the college works closely with the Southwest Kansas Builders Association, which "represents over a hundred area businesses who are all very much in support of this."
Costs and implementation: Sharman (KBOR staff) said the construction expansion’s estimated first‑year cost is $107,500, including $75,000 attributed to existing full‑time faculty. The electrical technology program estimated initial costs at $95,500, with $75,000 budgeted for new full‑time faculty. Garden City indicated it will not collaborate with other institutions for the construction expansion because it is an existing program for the college; for the electrical proposal the college contacted Dodge City Community College and discussed faculty collaboration.
Committee action: Committee members moved and seconded motions to place both items on the consent agenda; both motions carried. The items will appear on the authority’s consent agenda for final approval.