On October 23, advocates for the Southland Career and Technical Education Center (SCTEC) held a “lunch and learn” event where community members were invited to learn about the center’s plans and progress.
SCTEC’s designers provide the area’s high school and post-secondary students with a hands-on education focused on careers in aviation, construction, information technology, manufacturing, public safety, urban agriculture, logistics, supply chain management, and more. We would like to provide this service.
District 233 Superintendent Scott Wakely speaks at the SCTEC presentation.
(Chris Weber/HF Chronicle)
State Representative Debbie Myers Martin hosted the SCTEC Lunch and Learn.
“The benefits of career and technical training to create a more empowered workforce extend far beyond an individual’s ability to live a more successful and productive life, so this project’s focus is one of the major benefits. ” said Myers-Martin. “This will enable our workforce to remain competitive in the 21st century economy and meet the growing needs of our industry.”
The project is a collaboration between several local education agencies, including Broome Township High School District 206, Rich Township High School District 227, Southland College Prep Charter High School District 162, Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233, Prairie State University, and SPEED. It’s work. SEJA District 802. The plan also has support from a long list of community members and government officials.
State Sen. Napolean Harris congratulated the collaboration and praised the cooperation of the superintendents.
“It’s great to see this as a proud product of the Southland region,” Ms Harris said. “Success looks like a community working together. I think egos often get in the way of progress, and I see egos being set aside.”
Take a look at the plans for the proposed Southland Career and Technical Education Center. (Chris Weber/HF Chronicle)
Supporters argue that a major potential benefit of SCTEC is that students and job seekers in the area will have the opportunity to participate in education and training programs that each school district cannot offer individually.
A feasibility study led the group to focus on building a new facility on the site of the now-closed Rich East High School in Park Forest. Rich Township High School Superintendent Johnny Thomas said the 227th District School Board is “willing to donate its land and space for a project like this if we can secure funding.”
Thomas said the project will cost about $100 million.
“We often get asked, ‘Why don’t we put everything back into the existing building?'” he said. “When we did cost estimates with our construction partners and architects, they estimated it would cost $95 million to remove the old building, make it safe and remediate the property.”
Thomas said it would make more sense and involve less risk to design and construct a new building.
Homewood Flossmoor High School Superintendent Scott Wakely expressed the importance of collaboration between the school district and community members and emphasized the benefits of centers like SCTEC.
“This is an investment in the Southland region,” he said. “I look at the opportunities that other students have. Our kids deserve it.”
SCTEC supporters hope to present education specifications and funding proposals to the Illinois State Board of Education next spring before lobbying for funding. Demolition of existing buildings and construction of new ones could begin as early as 2026. They hope to open the center to students in 2028.
Mr. Thomas emphasized the importance of relationships with local and state governments for SCTEC.
He said Gov. JB Pritzker has promised soft support for the project. Still, he has engaged community members in a variety of ways, including telling the governor and other elected officials why they think SCTEC is essential and volunteering to serve on advisory committees that guide each program’s curriculum. I encouraged them to step up in different ways.
“Now is the time to take action on this initiative,” Thomas said.
The architects designing the new SCTEC building created a phased construction plan that allows for construction and expansion to be completed as funding allows. They also shared a video introducing the center’s design concept.
For more information, please visit the SCTEC website.
