Quick Facts

• Location: Eagle Grove, Iowa
• Address: 216 S Park Ave, Eagle Grove, IA 50533
• School Type: Public High-School Career Academy / Regional Career & Technical Education Center operated by Iowa Central Community College
• Programs Offered: Manufacturing Technology, Health Sciences, Education and Liberal Arts
• Trade-Focused Training: Welding, machining, blueprint reading, mechanical processes, precision measurement and shop operations
• Training Style: Face-to-face college-credit career academy instruction with hands-on labs
• Tuition Range: Generally delivered through participating high-school districts as concurrent enrollment; this is not a conventional tuition-based adult trade school
• Program Length: Current pathways are structured as yearlong programs
• Online Programs Available: Not as the primary format
• Hybrid Learning: No for the main career academy courses; Iowa Central says regional-center academy courses are face-to-face
• Financial Aid: Traditional FAFSA aid is not the normal model for these high-school concurrent-enrollment pathways
• Class Options: Primarily daytime high-school/college-credit programming; separate adult ELL classes are also offered at this location
• Credentials: College credit plus credentials such as OSHA 10, CPR/First Aid, NCRC and CNA where applicable
• Average Rating: Not provided
• Website: Official North Central Regional Center page

Overview

Iowa Central’s North Central Regional Center is not a conventional private trade school. It is a career academy operated by Iowa Central Community College for area high-school students, with participating schools including Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, Eagle Grove and Webster City. The center opened in 2014 and provides college-credit career pathways while students are still in high school.

The facility includes classrooms, a science lab, computer lab, CNA lab and a dedicated manufacturing shop with welding booths, lathes, mills, drill presses and other industrial equipment. For TradeSchoolScout, its strongest listing angle is the Manufacturing Technology pathway rather than presenting it as a general adult technical college.

Programs Offered

The current North Central Regional Center page identifies four yearlong pathways:

• Manufacturing Technology
• Health Sciences
• Education
• Liberal Arts

Manufacturing Technology

This is the center’s primary skilled-trades pathway and totals 17 college credits across two semesters.

Fall coursework includes:

• Beginning Welding
• Introduction to Lathe Operations
• OSHA 10, CPR & First Aid
• Precision Measurements Lab
• Mechanical Processes

Spring includes:

• Gas Metal Arc Welding
• Introduction to Mill Operations
• Shop Operations
• Blueprint Reading
• Technical Math

The pathway provides practical exposure to welding, metalworking and machining, making it a useful launch point for students who may later continue into Welding Technology, Industrial Mechanics, Electrical Technology, Electro-Mechanical Technology or Computer Integrated Fabrication Technology at Iowa Central.

Health Sciences

The Health Sciences pathway totals 19 credits and gives students an opportunity to earn CNA-related preparation alongside CPR, First Aid/AED and the National Career Readiness Certificate. Coursework includes Nurse Aide, Introduction to Health Care, Medical Terminology and Anatomy & Physiology.

Tuition & Financial Aid

This center should not be priced like a normal college campus listing. Career Academy and Regional Center courses can be offered through concurrent enrollment, with participating school districts responsible for the relevant tuition arrangement. Iowa Central’s current operating procedures state that districts may receive supplemental weighting and that the district can be billed when students remain enrolled past applicable refund deadlines.

For TradeSchoolScout, I recommend:

Tuition Range: Concurrent-enrollment program for eligible participating high-school students; contact your high-school counselor/Iowa Central for current student cost.

Separate adult education does take place here. For example, Iowa Central currently offers free non-credit English-language classes at Eagle Grove in 10-week sessions.

Why Students Choose This School

• Earn college credit while still in high school
• Hands-on welding and machining shop
• 17-credit Manufacturing Technology pathway
• OSHA 10 and workplace credentials
• CNA opportunity through Health Sciences
• Credits can articulate into Iowa Central technical programs
• No need to wait until after high school to begin technical training

Career Opportunities

The academy itself is designed primarily as a stepping stone. Manufacturing students can build foundations relevant to:

• Welder/Fabricator
• CNC or Machine Operator
• Machining Technician
• Industrial Maintenance Technician
• Manufacturing Technician
• Electro-Mechanical Technician

Further college education, apprenticeship, employer training or licensing may be required depending on the occupation.

Student Reviews

Your supplied Google data does not include a review count or average rating, so I would leave the rating field blank rather than manufacture one.

Enrollment Tips

This listing needs a prominent eligibility note. Iowa Central says its regional career academies are designed primarily for juniors, seniors and eligible TAG high-school students, and students can participate in as many as two pathways over two years if accepted.

Students should therefore start with their high-school counselor rather than using the normal adult-college admissions process.

Bottom Line

Iowa Central’s North Central Regional Center is worth including on TradeSchoolScout, but it should be classified as a High-School Career & Technical Education Center, not a standard postsecondary trade school. Its standout offering is the 17-credit Manufacturing Technology pathway, where students receive real exposure to welding, machining, blueprint reading and industrial shop work while earning college credit.