Business View Civil and Municipal | May/June 2022

41 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 hopefully, people are letting that become a new pattern, as they see the value of the local businesses and the community and coming together.” Some of Sterling’s major employers include The Department of Corrections, the Banner-Sterling Regional Health Center, and Northeastern Junior College (NJC). The college also helps to provide a skilled workforce, offering courses in diesel and agricultural mechanics, as well as a wind and industrial technology program that is one of the best in the U.S. A Fire Academy, which was started 18 years ago as a way to train local volunteer firefighters, is another program offered through NJC. Chief Ritter shares, “Through the Fire Academy, we also help with the EMT class that they offer. Right now, I’d say 85% of the people that work for me came through the NJC Fire program. So, it’s been a great recruitment tool for the fire department.” To meet the need for increased housing, Sterling has two different multi-unit projects in the planning stages. The first, a 50-unit apartment complex geared to adults aged 55+, is in the early stages of construction. The second, another potential apartment building, is in the permitting and funding stages. “We are working with several local developers right now who are talking about some larger scale housing projects,” reports George Good, Public Works Director. “Hopefully we can increase the housing. We will then be able to increase the workforce, which can attract more industry and business.” In downtown Sterling, there is also opportunity STERL ING, COLORADO