Collinsville Area Vocational Center Expansion is Underway Following Groundbreaking Ceremony

Construction begins on $25 million State-of-the-Art Workforce Training Facility

Collinsville, Illinois – March 25, 2025 – Collinsville Area Vocational Center hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking today to celebrate construction of their $25 million expansion and renovation.  

The new facility is located at the intersection of South Morrison and Caseyville Roads in Collinsville, Ill. The property is located across from the existing CAVC building and Collinsville High School campus. 

Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 officials, members of the design/construction team, local business partners and representatives from the State of Illinois were on-hand to mark the occasion.  

"The start of construction on the Collinsville Area Vocational Center expansion marks an exciting new chapter for our students and community,” said CAVC Director Joe McGinnis. “This project will provide state-of-the-art facilities that better prepare our students for high-demand careers while strengthening partnerships with local businesses. By expanding hands-on learning opportunities, we are not just building a facility — we are building a stronger workforce and a brighter future for Collinsville and beyond." 

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 Collinsville and the nine other area high schools who send students to CAVC; the potential to include additional high schools in CTE education; and a skilled workforce for current and future businesses.

Support from the State of Illinois

In 2023, the State of Illinois appropriated $25 million (SB 250; page 1024) to Collinsville Community Unit School District #10 (the governing board of Collinsville Area Vocational Center) for the expansion and renovation of CAVC.  Most of the funding will be for the construction of the new building, but a portion is allocated to renovate the existing facility to help bring in new vocational programs.

“The Board is a strong supporter of our vocational program and is very excited about the opportunities this expansion will provide for our students,” said Collinsville CUSD 10 Board of Education President Gary Peccola. “The new building and renovation of the current center will expose up to 300 additional students to the trades and different professions along with the career possibilities they have to offer.  Vocational training provides our students with another path to a well-paying job and secure future.”  

State Representative Katie Stuart was an early and strong advocate for this project which aligns with the State of Illinois' focus on Career and Technical Education (CTE). She was instrumental in promoting the project in Springfield to procure funding.  

“Vocational schools play a key role in preparing our students for careers in the trades, service industry, education careers and healthcare occupations,” said Stuart. “Having secured this transformative investment, the construction of the new building and renovations to the existing facility will greatly expand the educational and career opportunities the Collinsville Area Vocational Center will provide to students and our community in the future.”

CUSD 10 Superintendent Dr. Mark B. Skertich said, “We are excited to expand and enhance opportunities in career and technical education, education, health care and culinary arts for students across the Metro East region. The CAVC expansion will empower students to pursue incredible career paths, contribute to economic growth in our communities, and serve as a vital workforce pipeline for the trades and service industries.  

“Thank you to our many partners, this was a true team effort and I want to especially thank Representative Stuart who played such a big part in making this a reality, we aren’t here today without her support.” 

Construction Timeline and Costs

The CUSD 10 Board of Education approved the final plans for the CAVC expansion at their March 17, 2025 meeting.  The target date for completion is April 2026.

The new CAVC was designed by FGM Architects.  Holland Construction will serve as the construction manager.  The cost is projected to be $21,454,783 for the expansion, and an additional $3,082,831 for existing facility renovations.

“Being part of the Collinsville Area Vocational Center expansion is truly special for all of us at Holland. Workforce development is a priority in the industry right now, making the CAVC such an important project,” Ryan Savage, Vice President of Client Relations for Holland Construction, said. “It’s laying the foundation for future generations of skilled tradespeople and equipping students with the skills they need to succeed. The students who walk through the doors of the CAVC are the skilled trades people of tomorrow. We’re proud to be a part of that mission.”

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 575 to an expected 900 students annually. 

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 addition of pathways that will include HVAC/R, Aviation Mechanics, Avionics, EMT, and three additional programs to be named at a later date.

“This project will provide larger, more advanced learning spaces, necessary to accommodate modern equipment. This will significantly improve the learning environment through more comprehensive hands-on experience,” said Ryan Savage. “It's exciting to know that with this expansion, CAVC will be able to offer even more specialized programs, further increasing the scope of opportunities for local students.”

Important Business Partnerships

The huge scope of the CAVC expansion would not be possible without important partnerships with businesses, organizations, professional associations and trade unions.

McKay Napa Auto Parts, Trane, Anderson Hospital, Petroff Companies, Madison County Sheriffs and Holland Construction are partnering with CAVC to provide advanced equipment, technology and specialized classrooms for hands-on learning.  Their contributions will ensure students have access to the latest training resources.  

"We are thrilled to collaborate with the Collinsville School District and provide industry support to the Collinsville Area Vocational Center. These programs are designed to offer students hands-on workforce training for the HVAC industry" said Rebecca Krewson, Technician Program Leader, Commercial HVAC Americas, Trane Technologies. 

Krewson added: "An HVAC program not only equips students with the technical skills needed to excel in a rewarding career field, but it also helps to satisfy the growing demand for skilled HVAC professionals in our community. By investing in the next generation of technicians, we are ensuring a brighter, more sustainable future for both our industry and the broader St. Louis Metro East region"

President and CEO of McKay NAPA Auto Parts, Earl Flack, sees his company's involvement as a bridge to the future, he says, “The opportunities for students in the Automotive Aftermarket are unending. The most important thing I see is that we help create a pathway for their success.”   

“Anderson Healthcare is proud to be sponsoring the Clinical Health Occupations program at the Collinsville Area Vocational Center. We look forward to working closely with the CAVC to ensure the success of the Clinical Health Occupations program and to make a meaningful difference in the lives of local students,” Lisa Spencer, President of Anderson Hospital, said.

CAVC Poised to Offer Future Career & Technical Education Opportunities

The expanded CAVC will transform CTE in Southwestern Illinois.  In recent years, CAVC has turned students away due to a lack of space for programming. In addition to increasing the number of students served each year and variety of programs offered, the new facility will allow reorganization of classroom space to meet the 21st-century needs of career education. 

CAVC, together with its industry partners, has the goal to equip students with valuable, practical skills and knowledge, preparing them for high-demand, high-wage jobs and further education, while also fostering critical thinking and employability skills.

“The demand for skilled workers in the construction trades is significant and CAVC gives students a first-hand look at the many opportunities available.  It is imperative to raise awareness to students about the opportunities that are available in the construction industry so we can begin building the workforce of the future, which will be key to our region’s future economic growth.  The Southern Illinois Builders Association and Southern Illinois Construction Advancement Program proudly support the Collinsville Area Vocational Center,” Donna Richter, Chief Executive Officer, Southern Illinois Builders Association, said.

“The investment the state of Illinois and the CAVC are making in this state-of-the-art career technical education center will lay the groundwork for the workforce pipeline for businesses to be successful in our region for generations. Congratulations to the Collinsville school district,” said Kyle Anderson, Executive Director, Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois.

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.

Holland Construction

Holland Construction Services (Holland) is a full-service construction management and general contracting firm, founded in 1986 on the guiding principles of building with integrity. With decades of industry experience, we specialize in delivering high-quality, innovative construction solutions across a wide range of markets, including Industrial, Municipal, Healthcare, Commercial, Education, and Residential. Holland provides construction solutions throughout the Midwest region with offices in Swansea, IL and St. Louis, MO.

Our commitment to providing "A Better Way to Build" is evident in the fact that over 90% of our clients return to work with us, a testament to our dedication to delivering exceptional value and fostering lasting relationships with both our clients and the communities we serve.

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