Flint Hills Technical College Develops Programs Based on Local Industry Input

Since 1963, Flint Hills Technical College has supported the needs of Emporia, Kansas residents who wanted to grow their skills and enter the trades. Since 1995, it has maintained its associate degree-granting status and continues to expand its programs, coursework, and degree paths.

However, the latest area of growth for FHTC is in non-degree-seeking training initiatives. The college has developed processes to meet with local businesses, discuss their skills gaps or hiring pain points, and then develop coursework that addresses those needs.

“I started by talking to the top 30 companies in Emporia and asking what keeps them up at night,” says Corey Spikes, Executive Director of Business and Industry at FHTC. “The goal is to answer what is our local need, as well as what do our locals need.”

Learn more about the non-degree-seeking courses offered by FHTC and how Spikes’ program is improving local business operations while upskilling residents.

FHTC Launches New Programs and Brings in Training Specialists

Spikes has done more than just meet with business leaders, he has taken the information about their skills gaps and developed coursework at FHTC that directly solves their problems. A few activities, training seminars, and courses created through this process include:

• Robotics training, including a FANUC Robotics certification course from an expert who was brought in from Kansas City.   
• Education for VEKTEK engineers who needed to learn how to use new equipment effectively. 
• Industrial engineering technology training courses with a focus on programmable logic controller (PLC) automation. 
• First aid, AED, and CPR training programs, along with leadership training for nursing home facilities.

FHTC also debuted a CDL program in April 2024. This course was modified to meet the needs of a local company that has specialty trailers which can be hard to handle. Training on these trailers isn’t normally part of a CDL certification, but FHTC added it to the coursework so graduates can have additional skills and the local company can have a larger hiring pool.

Spikes’ message to local business owners is simple, “If you’re having an issue, let us help you solve it. I can bring people from other places to offer training and certifications if necessary. All you have to do is reach out to FHTC.”

Funding for these programs is made possible through the state of Kansas and KBOR. 

Business Moving to Emporia Can Fulfill Their Workforce Needs

FHTC continues to invest in local employers in the area and will be one of the first contacts for any company that wants to expand to Emporia. If there already isn’t a strong workforce for you to pull from, FHTC will take steps to support residents and make them qualified to fill your roles.

“We have a lot of people here who are very talented, but who I think are slightly underutilized,” says Spikes. “If you brought the right opportunity here, you would have 50 resumes on your desk by the end of the day and your pick of who to hire.”

Spikes feels that Emporia is a great community that he has fallen in love with since he moved here. “People in the community are pushing to make it better all the time,” he says.

Residents can easily access Topeka, Kansas City, or Wichita within an hour or two, but they still get to come home to a place they love at the end of the day. New businesses in the area would keep those residents in Emporia during the workweek and allow this region to be even better.  

There’s a Place for Anyone Who Wants to Learn at FHTC

The increased diversity in degree programs and new non-degree training opportunities offered by FHTC benefits residents as well as businesses. Many students have turned to FHTC for an affordable education that gets them hired as soon as they complete their coursework. Spikes says his goal is to help students focus on what they want to learn and build specific skills they can use throughout their careers. His slogan is, “What can we do today that gets you out of here tomorrow?”

Spikes adds that all students have to do is visit FHTC or reach out to one of the admissions staff members to learn about the training programs that interest them.

“Come and talk to us. We can do anything from remedial math to specialized training. We just need you to come in and ask.” 

Find Qualified Employees in Emporia, Kansas

Lyon County, home of Emporia, has a labor force of 17,000 and an unemployment rate of 2.7%. Many Emporia residents are eager to stay in the region and are excited about the growth of new employers in recent years. You can move your business here and quickly staff your operations. Learn more about Emporia, Kansas, and find your future here.