COLLINSVILLE – Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 unveiled design plans Wednesday morning, Oct. 9, 2024, for the upcoming Collinsville Area Vocational Center expansion.
The architectural plans and renderings were shared publicly for the first time at the future site of the new facility at the intersection of South Morrison and Caseyville Roads in Collinsville.
The property is located across the road from the existing facility and Collinsville High School campus. Representative Katie Stuart was among the guests who got the first look at the vision for the new CAVC. She was an early and strong advocate for this project which aligns with the State of Illinois’ focus on Career and Technical Education (CTE).
“Representative Stuart was instrumental in securing the appropriation and allocation for CAVC to serve as a workforce pipeline in our area and provide career opportunities for students from ten school districts in the metro-east,” said Collinsville CUSD Superintendent Dr. Mark B. Skertich, “Absent of Representative Stuart’s efforts, this project would not be about to break ground and benefit students, businesses and our communities.” In 2023, the State of Illinois appropriated $25 million to Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 ( the governing board of CAVC) for the expansion and renovation of CAVC (SB 250; page 1024).
The funds were allocated earlier this year and are expected to be released soon.
“When Dr. Skertich and Mr. McGinnis came to me with a vision for what the CAVC could be, I got right to work advocating for support from my colleagues in Springfield. The opportunities and learning experiences available in career and technical education can be life changing, and I was able to convince fellow legislators to help us bring more programs to more students,” said Representative Stuart, “I can’t wait to come back and see kids in action learning the skills of the future.”
Expansion will Allow More Students and Programs The CAVC expansion will provide additional space for CTE programs.
The overall project will improve and expand course offerings and allow enrollment to increase from the current 580 to an expected 800 students annually. Once completed, the new and improved CAVC will serve as a bigger pipeline for the trades, service industry, education careers and healthcare occupations. The result will be more opportunities for students from CAVC’s ten current area high school partners; the potential to include additional high schools in CTE education; and a skilled workforce for current and future businesses.
“The addition of a second facility will enable us to reorganize and modernize our classroom spaces to meet the evolving needs of career and technical education, including expanding programs in aviation, avionics and HVAC. We will also have space for future program additions based on student demand and local labor market needs,” said CAVC Director Joe McGinnis.
“This project will not only allow us to offer more diverse programs but also increase the number of students we can serve each year,” added McGinnins, “For the past two years, limited space has forced us to turn away hundreds of students eager to pursue these in-demand careers, and this expansion will help bridge that gap, allowing more students to enter our local workforce.”
Currently, CAVC offers the following career pathways: Agriculture & Landscape Management, Auto Body, Auto Mechanics, Building Trades, Electronics, Precision Machining, Welding, Clinical Health (CNA), Criminal Justice, Cosmetology, Cyber Security, Dental Assisting, Early Childhood Education, Food Service and K-12 Teacher Prep. The expansion will allow the immediate addition of pathways that will include HVAC/R, Aviation Mechanics and Avionics.
Construction Timeline and Costs The CUSD 10 Board of Education recently approved the final plans for the CAVC expansion.
Construction is scheduled to begin in February/March of 2025. The target date for completion is April 2026. The new CAVC was designed by FGM Architects. Holland Construction will serve as the project manager.
The cost is projected to be $21,454,783 for the expansion, and an additional $3,082,831 for existing facility renovations.
About CAVC
The Collinsville Area Vocational Center was built in 1971 and is one of 24 Area Vocational Centers in Illinois. It serves students from 10 high schools in Madison and St. Clair Counties, including: Civic Memorial High School, Collinsville High School, Dupo High School, East Alton-Wood River High School, Edwardsville High School, Highland High School, Lebanon High School, Mascoutah High School, Roxana High School and Triad High School. CAVC is operated under the governance of Collinsville Community Unit School District #10. CUSD 10 comprises 12 schools, serving 6,100+ students PreK-12 in Madison & St. Clair Counties in southwestern Illinois.
