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The Kishwaukee Education Consortium (KEC), which offers career and technical education courses for high school juniors and seniors, has partnered with the Legacy Academy in Sycamore to offer high school juniors and seniors a Barbering class. The class will allow for students interested in a Barbering certificate to get over 1,000 hours in a two year program towards the 1,500 hours needed in order to sit for the Illinois Department of Health Barbering License Exam. KEC Executive Director, Tom Crouch says that the new class offering meets all of the checkmarks for beginning a new program. "The class meets many of the goals stated in our strategic plan including equity, internship opportunities, certifications and local labor market needs as there is a shortage of licensed barbers in our region and the closest training school had been in Schaumburg prior to Legacy opening in Sycamore just a few weeks ago. Our board is very excited about the opportunity to offer the class under our cosmetology and esthetics pathway and I am very happy to be partnering with The Legacy Academy in Sycamore to create opportunities for high school students in our region." KEC has been busy adding offerings for high school students. The barbering class is now the eighth program added to the KEC catalog since 2012 along with Emergency Medical Technician, Esthetics, Business Leadership, Sports Medicine, Basic Firefighter Operator, New Teacher Academy and Web Development. KEC has over 20 programs total, with most offering college credit. "We have been fortunate to have great post secondary partners like Northern Illinois University, Kishwaukee College, Waubonsee Community College, Rock Valley College and Elgin Community College that all share the same passion with providing college credit and opportunities for high school students in our region through KEC. The local businesses like the Legacy Academy, Hair Professionals and Debutantes that offer certificates and training for our future workforce is also a blessing."