Kankakee Community College is making inroads to the local workforce. It's so good that U-S Senator Dick Durbin says "KCC is a model for the rest of the state and beyond."

Durbin visited KCC Wednesday to get a look at the community college's technology program. A special focus was the solar energy program and other careers in the sustainable fields of study.

The link between community colleges and the workforce is what brought Durbin to KCC on Tuesday. The Democratic senator is pushing legislation that would allocate $8 billion to community colleges.

KCC officials had plenty to show off, and had just as many ideas for spending any federal money that might come their way. KCC President John Avendano said the college is planning an Advanced Technology Center that would house all those programs.

Industrial technology is where the strongest college-to-work potential can be found, according to Durbin.

94.1 WGFA