John V. Hanson Career Center
Earn college credit by enrolling in a NIACC Academy at the John V. Hanson Career Center

Students from Forest City High School, GHV High School, Lake Mills High School, and North Iowa High School have the opportunity to enroll in the John V. Hanson Career Center. The Career Center is located in Forest City and allows students to choose between four academies that can lead to good paying jobs in high demand fields.

The four academies are Advanced Manufacturing, Construction Trades, Information Technology, and Health Careers. 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. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity!

The Advanced Manufacturing Academy exposes students to a wide variety of skills necessary to be successful in today’s manufacturing workforce. They will take classes in welding, electronics, 3D Modeling, and basic industrial shop operations as well as be able to explore manufacturing careers in a career exploration class. The academy prepares students to enter one of the NIACC manufacturing programs: Welding, Tool and Die, and Industrial Automation and Robotics. Students will also be better prepared for one of the other NIACC Skilled Trades programs if they choose to go that route. Those programs are Heating and Air Conditioning Technology, Automotive Technology, and Diesel Technology. Some students that attend the Advanced Manufacturing Academy may choose to enter a manufacturing career right out of high school. Students that complete the Advanced Manufacturing Academy will earn a Fundamentals of Advanced Manufacturing Certificate and a Fundamentals of Welding Certificate.
Advanced Manufacturing Academy Classes
Course Name | Course Number |
---|---|
Skills and Safety in Industry | IND-190 |
Introduction to Electrical Concepts | ELT-135 |
Introduction to Advanced Manufacturing Technologies | MFG-196 |
Industrial Math and Measurement | IND-224 |
3D Modeling | MFG-110 |
Maintenance Shop Operations | ELT-745 |
Exploring Careers | WBL-100 |
Gas Metal Arc Welding Short Circuit | WEL-244 |
Gas Tungsten Arc Welding for Carbon Steel: SENSE 1 | WEL-251 |
Shielded Metal Arc Weld I | WEL-274 |
Total Credits Advanced Manufacturing Academy: 23

The Construction Trades Academy prepares students for work in residential and commercial construction. Students will be exposed to extensive hands-on learning by working on real construction projects. Students will also have lecture time where they will learn about safety, construction drawing, CAD, and blueprint reading. Students that complete the Construction Trades Academy classes will earn a NIACC Building Trades Certificate. They may choose to continue their education at NIACC and earn a NIACC Building Trades Diploma or go directly into the construction industry.
Construction Trades Academy Classes
Course Name | Course Number |
---|---|
10-Hour OSHA for Construction | CON-103 |
Construction Drawing | CON-110 |
Construction Safety and Risk Management | CON-177 |
Construction Math and Measurement | CON-360 |
Carpentry Fundamentals I | CON-521 |
Carpentry Fundamentals II | CON-523 |
Architectural CADD | CAD-216 |
Blueprint Reading and Estimating | CON-112 |
Carpentry I | CON-255 |
Carpentry II | CON-256 |
Total Credits Construction Trades Academy: 27

The Information Technology Academy will emphasize computer programming but will also introduce students to computer networking. Students that complete the Information Technology Academy will earn a NIACC Foundations of Programming Certificate. They may choose to continue their education at NIACC, transfer to a 4-year college, or get a job in the Information Technology field. Students will take an Exploring Careers class to help them determine their future in the IT field. The IT Academy classes are in the NIACC Information Technology Programs which include a variety of diploma and degree options.
Information Technology Academy Classes
Course Name | Course Number |
---|---|
Introduction to Programming Logic with Language | CIS -125 |
Information Computing | CSC-116 |
Composition I | ENG-105 |
College Algebra | MAT-121 |
Introduction to Computer Science | CSC-142 |
Composition II | ENG-106 |
Operating Systems II | NET-195 |
Information Technology Academy Total Credits: 23

The Health Careers Academy is for any student interested in pursuing a career in the health field. It combines practical hands on classes with general education courses which makes it a good fit for any student. Some students that attend the Health Careers Academy may enter the workforce after high school while others may pursue advanced degrees. The Health Careers Academy prepares students to enter the Associate Degree in Nursing Program at NIACC. For students that are not sure which career in healthcare they want to study, an exploring careers class will be offered that will allow students to earn college credit while studying health occupations.
Health Academy Classes
Course Name | Course Number |
---|---|
Composition I | ENG-105 |
Nurse Aide Theory | HSC-173 |
Nurse Aide Clinical | HSC-174 |
Composition II | ENG-106 |
Medical Terminology I | HSC-120 |
Body Structure and Function | HSC-150 |
Intro to Psychology | PSY-111 |
Total Credits Health Careers Academy: 21
Director: Dan Rosacker
Office: 641-422-4330
Email: dan.rosacker@niacc.edu
Address
John V. Hanson Career Center
124 Nerem Drive South
Forest City, IA 50436