Exploring today’s industry innovations as well the importance of offering training curriculum that will result in skilled workers able to handle the country’s current and future workforce needs are two overarching issues being addressed at a national conference hosted by Gateway Technical College this week.

Gateway is hosting the annual National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) conference this week, bringing in about 400 people from across the nation from industry and education. The event is two-fold: There will be a weeklong train-the-trainer event at three Gateway sites as well as a leadership summit on Thursday and Friday on its Kenosha Campus.

More than 200 instructors from 29 states will receive training in a number of different in-demand career fields. These instructors receive training from master instructors, giving them the knowledge and skills they can take back to their own classrooms to benefit their students. Trainings include the newest innovations in the areas of HVAC, automotive, telecommunications and 3D printing.

More than 180 college and industry leaders from across the United States will also engage in the leadership summit, which explores the many different national issues surrounding training and certification in emerging technology skills in the transportation, aviation and energy industry sectors.

NC3 is a network of education providers and corporations that supports, advances and validates new and emerging technology skills in the transportation, aviation and energy industry sectors.