North Idaho College Workforce Training Center

10/26/2026

TPM Spotlight: Building North Idaho’s Talent Pipeline Across Key Industries

North Idaho College Workforce Training delivers short-term, career-focused education and training that helps people develop the skills needed for high-demand careers while helping employers build and strengthen their workforce.

Through its Talent Pipeline Management work, NIC Workforce Training is helping employers, education partners, workforce organizations, and communities align training and career pathways with regional workforce needs across construction, manufacturing, healthcare, mining, and other key industries.

NIC Workforce Training responds to changing labor-market needs through business partnerships, registered apprenticeships, healthcare training, commercial driver license training, skilled trades programs, and other workforce-development opportunities. This work helps create accessible pathways into careers while supporting employers as they recruit, train, and retain the skilled talent their businesses need.

Recent efforts demonstrate the impact of this approach. NIC Workforce Training recently offered a free, five-week Heavy Equipment Operator program made possible through a $299,951 Federal Highway Administration Highway Construction Training Program grant. The training helps prepare more qualified operators for Idaho’s highway-construction workforce, and the program is expected to be offered again in 2027.

NIC has also expanded programming in Sandpoint, with a major focus on healthcare training to support employers in Bonner and Boundary counties, including organizations serving rural and remote communities. CDL Class A training in Sandpoint and the Silver Valley is improving access to commercial driver training outside the Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls area, helping meet workforce demand in transportation, construction, and related industries.

Through registered apprenticeship programs in electrical, plumbing, and HVAC, NIC Workforce Training is also helping prepare skilled trades professionals for the region’s workforce. Together, these efforts show how employer-informed training, industry partnerships, and clear career pathways can help North Idaho communities grow and thrive.

Want to learn more about how Talent Pipeline Management supports workforce solutions in North Idaho? Comment “TPM” below, and we’ll connect you with the TPM contact at North Idaho College Workforce Training.

Learn more about Talent Pipeline Management: https://wdc.idaho.gov/talent-pipeline-management/

10/26/2026

“We're very fortunate in North Idaho that some of our higher education institutions were on the forefront of anticipating this need,” John Young, the president of Young Construction Group, said. “North Idaho College and the Workforce Training Center out at Post Falls have done a great job working with the Idaho State Workforce Development Council and utilizing grants to promote training of skilled construction force employees.”

Idaho is projected to boast the second-fastest growth of skilled trade workers in the country over the next decade, according to a report from the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades. However, North Idaho will need to prepare for the expected demand it could face.

10/26/2026

CDL training can open the door to more than one kind of career.

In a recent episode of A Little Birdie Told Me, NIC Workforce Training Center’s Ken Rolle talks with Lindsay “Birdie” Morgan about commercial driver training, instructor support and the role CDL drivers play in North Idaho’s economy.

Ken also shares how the Workforce Training Center works to connect training with the needs of students and regional employers.

Learn more about NIC Workforce Training: nic.edu/wtc

Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/dTS6Lq5O6Tc

10/21/2026

It’s Back to the Future Day!
Marty McFly showed up in 2015 with hoverboards.
You can show up in 2026 with some fresh skills.
No DeLorean required.
Find your next move at nic.edu/wtc.

10/14/2026

YES, CHEF!!
Check out NIC’s Sous Chef Apprenticeship!

10/13/2026

Your next step in healthcare starts in Sandpoint! 🩺

Build practical blood collection and specimen-handling skills with NIC Workforce Training’s Phlebotomy Technician course. Get hands-on classroom and lab experience as you prepare for opportunities in hospitals, labs, blood donor centers and doctors’ offices.

📍 NIC Sandpoint Center
📅 Starts Jan. 13, 2027

Ready to get started? Visit nic.edu/wtc and search “Phlebotomy” to learn more and register.

10/08/2026

Less “maybe someday.” More “making moves.”

Your next chapter could start with a welding helmet, scrubs or a hard hat. Build skills for the future you want at NIC Workforce Training.

Make your move: nic.edu/wtc

10/01/2026

What do you want to learn to drive?
Employers - what driving skills do your employees need?
Visit us online or give us a call for more information about programs like Commercial Driver License, Forklift, and Heavy Equipment Operator training!
(208) 769-3214 or nic.edu/wtc

09/25/2026