The Kansas City Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City received $2.2 million to develop programs to prepare the region's workforce for in-demand careers, including new and expanded animal health curricula. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon announced the grant as part of his new Training for Tomorrow initiative.

Gov. Nixon's announcement highlighted Metropolitan Community College's animal health program, one of the few such programs in the Midwest.  The college's existing two-year degree program in veterinary technology prepares students to assist veterinarians with animal nursing care, lab diagnostics, anesthesia, surgery, dentistry, radiology and more.

With funds from Training for Tomorrow, Metropolitan Community College will be able to expand its animal health curriculum to include new degrees and certificates in pet care and animal research, and to develop online veterinary front office staff and veterinary assistant programs.

Planning and development for the new programs will start this spring.  Students in non-degree programs could be enrolling in courses as early as this summer; enrollment in degree programs is expected to begin in January 2011.