Warren County students who want to continue their education after high school have long faced the reality of travel. The closest opportunities for postsecondary education are in St. Charles and Franklin counties.

That might change in coming years. Local leaders are beginning to rally behind a vision to build a trade-oriented community college in Warren County. Although the idea is still more dream than reality, the college would provide a local opportunity for students to learn technical and manufacturing skills, and acquire trade certifications and associates degrees.

Advocates say the idea of a local college is exciting, but it still has major hurdles to overcome, and no one is making any promises.

“We are at the step one, exploratory phase of this. It’s too early to get our hopes up,” said State Rep. Bryan Spencer, whose legislative district includes Wright City and Wentzville.

Spencer said he has been working for years to bring some kind of technical program to Warren County. His plan is to coordinate state funding to help build a school campus here that would be a mostly independent branch of St. Charles Community College (SCC).

But that’s where the idea meets a major hurdle: Warren County technically is in the East Central College (ECC) service area based in Franklin County.

“We have to change it to be in the St. Charles Community College service area, which right now includes St. Charles, Lincoln, Montgomery and Callaway counties,” Spencer said.

He clarified that parts of southern Warren County that are in the Washington School District likely would remain in the ECC service area, while the Warren County and Wright City school districts would be in the SCC service area.

Spencer believes making the switch to SCC will make the Warren County community college more likely to become a reality, and said it makes more geographic sense based on SCC’s current service area.

Local school districts, governments, businesses and the general public will all need to get behind the idea to make it happen, Spencer said.

A public vote on parts of the process likely will be necessary, advocates said. More specific plans, like where the community college would be located or how it would be built, won’t be developed until later stages.

Warren County Commissioner Dan Hampson said having a local technical program would be an important way to bring new employees into fields where many skilled laborers are reaching retirement age.

“This is absolutely needed. The manufacturing base, especially with the baby boomers, all those who were tradespeople that are moving out and retiring — there’s no one to fill those jobs,” Hampson said. Despite hurdles, the benefit of getting the school here is worth it, he said.

One of the other organizations that is becoming involved in getting a local community college is the Greater Warren County Economic Development Council (EDC).

“This is a rare and historic opportunity for our community and it is going to take a broad spectrum of community leaders to ensure it is viable,” said EDC President Wayne Baker in a press release. “We are honored to help set up a coalition of local leaders and interested parties for this project and we are committed to providing the staff and resources needed to ensure our community is successful.”

Steve Etcher, a consultant with the EDC, added that the availability of skilled labor is a top concern for businesses that might want to bring new, well-paying jobs to the area.

Another upside mentioned by supporters is that Warren County could see benefit from Missouri’s A+ Scholarship Program. The scholarship is awarded to qualifying students attending a public community college or vocational school. Having a community college in Warren County would keep that scholarship money local, instead of students taking it to neighboring counties.