Forest City-based John V. Hanson Career Center scheduled to serve area students by Fall 2021

Forest City, IOWA – The Winnebago Industries Foundation is providing support to the John V. Hanson Career Center in Forest City, Iowa, an innovative project aligning resources from North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) and the Forest City, Garner-Hayfield-Ventura, Lake Mills and North Iowa Community School Districts. This initiative will provide high school students with key educational opportunities in high demand and well-paying areas related to advanced manufacturing, construction trades, IT and healthcare. Students will earn college credit by enrolling in NIACC classes at the Career Center. This comes at no cost to the student or their parents. Textbooks, tools, and equipment are also provided to the students.

“Our region is rich in talent. We see these vital educational opportunities as having great alignment with the current and future needs of the North Iowa area and Winnebago Industries,” said Huw Bower, President, Winnebago Outdoors. “This multi-year support from the Winnebago Industries Foundation to area education totaling $500,000 represents a portion of the ongoing and long-term commitment of Winnebago Industries to be an integral part of our North Iowa communities.”

“We are thrilled to have Winnebago Industries as a partner in the John V. Hanson Career Center,” said NIACC President Steve Schulz. “Their involvement underscores the importance of this work and how strong partnerships with local industry can create opportunities for students and provide a pipeline to the local workforce. We look forward to the many work-based learning opportunities our students will have with Winnebago Industries.”

Funding provided by the Winnebago Industries Foundation will specifically support the Advanced Manufacturing Academy powered by Winnebago, which will expose students to a wide variety of skills necessary to be successful in today’s manufacturing workforce. Students will gain technical, drafting and print reading skills as well as the opportunity to put designs into practice with hands-on projects.

The John V. Hanson Career Center is scheduled to open beginning in the fall of 2021 and will accommodate a minimum of 80 students per semester. For more information, please visit: https://www.niacc.edu/admissions/high-school-programs/john-v-hanson-career-center/

About Winnebago Industries

Winnebago Industries, Inc. (NYSE: WGO) is a leading U.S. manufacturer of outdoor lifestyle products under the Winnebago, Grand Design, Chris-Craft and Newmar brands, which are used primarily in leisure travel and outdoor recreation activities. The Company builds quality motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheel products,  boats and commercial community outreach vehicles. Winnebago Industries has multiple facilities in Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota and Florida. For access to Winnebago Industries’ investor relations material or to add your name to an automatic email list for Company news releases, visit investor.wgo.net.  

Media Contact: Sam Jefson – Public Relations Specialist – 641-585-6803 – sjefson@wgo.net

About North Iowa Area Community College

North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) is a nationally-ranked, two-year institution located in North Central Iowa that serves students of all ages and abilities. Starting in 1918 as Mason City Junior College, NIACC has the distinct privilege of being the oldest Iowa community college. In 2018, NIACC celebrated the College’s 100 year anniversary of providing an education to our students. Between 2012 and 2014, the College received four national rankings, including being ranked in the top 10 percent of all community colleges in the nation.

Media Contact: Valerie Zahorski-Schmidt – Marketing Director – 641-422-4435 – zahorval@niacc.edu

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