By Elana Gordon
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-988260.mp3
KANSAS CITY, MO. – Missouri government, business and education leaders celebrated a new $20 million federal grant yesterday at Metropolitan Community College. The grant will go toward training more than 4,000 Missourians in growing health services fields such as health information technology.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon said this new grant gives community colleges across the state a chance to fill an important niche and ensures there is care for patients in the real world.
"There are health care jobs out there in areas we're talking about expanding training. There are dollars to offset the costs of tuition and other costs," Nixon said of the grant.
Nixon toured the student virtual hospital at MCC yesterday, where he encountered "8-year-old Simone Jones," a robot patient students treat during their training.
Approximately 4,000 fewer Missourians were on payrolls last month compared to August of last year, according to new labor statistics. Nixon and other education leaders hope the newly-funded training will better equip job searchers with new, valuable skills.
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