Blong Technology Center
Serious Skills
Blong Technology Center (BTC) is our hub for training skilled workforce, and home to several credit and non-credit career programs, including engineering technology, additive manufacturing, CNC machining, truck driving, and welding.
BTC is also a resource for employers. Send your employees here to upskill or re-skill, and the training can be customized to fit your exact needs. We offer all of this as part of our commitment to the community.
Directory
Electronics Lab – 563-441-4384
Learning Lab – 563-441-4375
Machine Shop – 563-441-4378
Welding Lab – 563-441-4399
Ben Kettering, Engineering Tech Instructor
Brad McConnell, Digital Modeling Instructor
Brandy Poston, Advanced Manufacturing Program Manager
Cory Otto, PM Engineering Tech Instructor
Craig Nelson, Eng Tech/Renew Energy Instructor
Dusty Rhodes, PM Welding Instructor
Greg Robb, PM CNC Instructor
Jeff Rose, Asst Project Director Advanced Mfg
Megan Edens, Welding Instructor
Michael J. Clark, CNC Instructor
Mohsen Assadi, Industrial Training
Shannon Ross, CDL Lead Trainer
Susan Lammers, Supply Chain & Logistics Instructor
Tom Monroe, Truck Driving Program Manager
Tour the BTC
Welding Lab
CNC Lab
Engineering Technology Lab
Truck Driving Simulator Lab
Additive Manufacturing 3D Modeling Lab
Welding a Way Forward
Danea Kimmins2023 Graduate
Fundamental Welding, Certificate
Learn in the Right Space
The state-of-the-art BTC supports the economic future of Eastern Iowa manufacturers. Holding classrooms, computer labs, and several labs for high-tech manufacturing training, our workforce is ready for the 4.0 future.
Hands-on Learning in a Manufacturing Hub
Since the BTC first opened, the surrounding area has become a popular location for business and industry. We're in the heart of the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center, and its easy access to Interstate 80 has lured some big neighbors, including Sterilite, Kraft Heinz, and PCT.
Our labs and training equipment rival modern manufacturing plants. You learn on the same equipment, using the same techniques, you'll use on the job. Our instructors have years of on-the-job expertise in their fields and maintain close ties to local employers.
To put it simply, we're connected to business, industry, and the community. That's why so many employers recruit our students and turn to us for their training needs.
You Can Study…
- CAD & Pro/ENGINEER
- CNC Machining
- Electromechanical Control Systems
- Engineering Technology
- Industrial Welding
- Technical Studies
You Can Earn…
- Associate in Applied Science Degrees
- Certificates of Completion
- One-Year Diplomas (32-45 Credits)
- Short-Term Certificates (Less than 30 Credits)
Employee Training: One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Sometimes you need employees trained in a specific or new skill, and want it catered to your business. Turn to EICC. We work with individual businesses to meet their specific training needs at a site — and a time — that best suits them.
Interested in customized training? Here are our three steps:
- Visit with one of our staff members to discuss your exact needs.
- Work with us on a training plan — one that encompasses training goals, the information to be covered, the number of training hours required, and a timeline for when it’ll take place. (At this point, you may discover we already have the class you need, but, if not, we’ll develop a program that meets your needs.)
- We’ll deliver the training at your worksite or at one of our convenient locations. Employers often choose to let us host the trainings due to our equipment and lack of workplace distractions, but we may need to train employees on specific equipment at your location.
We offer training programs in the following subjects:
- Business
- Computers
- Health & Safety
- Leadership & Supervision
- Logistics
- Manufacturing Technology
- Renewable Energy
- Soft Skills
- Supply Chain Management
We also offer fully online career certificate programs that range from four weeks to 18 months in duration. These programs range from Accounting Fundamentals to Search Engine Marketing.
If we don’t currently offer a training program for your specific needs, we’ll work with you to develop it.
Financial Assistance to Achieve Your Goals
BTC staff can help you find funds for your education or employee training program. We can tell you about Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship, GAP tuition assistance, grants, and state economic development funding.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
It’d be impossible to accomplish the BTC mission without partners such as local manufacturers DuPont, Nichols Aluminum, JDDW, North Star Steel, Litton Industries, IPSCO, Packaging Technologies, and Sears Manufacturing. They are invested in the future of Eastern Iowa and helping us develop the greatest talent for our region.