Trade and Industry Center

New Trade and Industry Center – Ankeny Campus:

Changing Lives. Empowering Communities.

Iowa’s demand for skilled trades and public-safety professionals continues to outpace supply. At DMACC, the programs that prepare these essential works - Diesel Technology, Fire Science, HVAC, Building Trades, and our Ford Manufacturing Training center - are full and growing. High School Career Academy pathways feed directly into these programs, but our current home - Building 14 on the Ankeny Campus constructed in the late 1960s - can no longer support modern training needs.

That’s why we’re unveiling our vision for a new Trade & Industry Center - a 71,688 square feet facility, a launchpad for student success, and a direct investment in Iowa’s workforce. We’re inviting you to help make this $33,594,461 vision a reality.

Make an Impact

You can partner with DMACC to create this new purpose-built home for Iowa’s future trades and public-safety professionals. Your support will help outfit labs, equipment zones, instructional spaces and the student lounge.  Multi-year pledges and corporate partnerships are welcome.  Donor recognition includes naming opportunities and a donor wall recognizing gifts of $1,000 or more.

The Vision

The Trades & Industry Center will bring together Diesel Technology, Fire Science, HVAC, Building Trades, and DMACC’s Ford Manufacturer Training Center, aligning programs in one right-sized hub.

Innovative Learning Environment

At the heart of the facility is a forward-thinking layout that combines functionality with flexibility. The design features:

• High-bay labs: Large, open bays with upgraded power, ventilation, and tooling to accommodate modern diesel, HVA, and construction equipment
• Shared shop zones: Adjacent work areas that encourage cross-program collaboration and mirror real job-site workflows.
• Simulation & scenario spaces: Purpose-designed areas that support hands-on Fire Science and safety training.

Student-Centered Design

The building emphasizes comfort, collaboration, and readiness with features such as:

• Student collaboration spaces for group work, tutoring, and project planning
• Modern classrooms & conference areas for lectures, seminars, employer visits, and continuing education.

Support and Service Areas

• Comprehensive behind-the-scenes spaces – including tool rooms, parts and materials storage, equipment staging, faculty offices, and centralized receiving – streamline the full workflow of a professional training environment.
• Strategic adjacencies improve efficiency, safety, and the day-to-day learning experience.

Sustainable and Stylish

The building’s finished palette creates a calm, professional atmosphere, incorporating:

• Warm wood veneer and modern quartz countertops
• Blue access paint and laminate finishes
• Acoustic ceiling clouds and energy-efficient recessed lighting for enhanced focus and comfort

Lasting Impact

• Faster, better preparation and more job-ready professionals for high-demand jobs across Iowa’s transportation, construction, HVAC, and public-safety sectors.
• A premier training destination for Iowa employers (credit and non-credit), strengthening regional competitiveness and deeper partnerships.
• A safer, more professional learning environment that matches industry standards and a more effective, efficient student experience end-to-end.