U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross on Thursday announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2 million grant to Wallace State Community College (WSCC) of Cullman to build a technical education center that will help workers gain new skills needed for modern jobs.
According to official estimates, the project alone is expected to create 68 Alabama jobs, as well as fostering critical workforce development for years to come. Ross credited pro-jobs Republican leadership for making the project possible.
“Under the Trump Administration, workforce development and training are of the utmost importance as some workers continue to struggle in communities across the United States,” Ross said in a press release. “This new facility in Cullman will provide the innovative education workers need to compete for jobs in the global economy.”
Governor Kay Ivey, Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-4) celebrated the announcement and reaffirmed their respective strong commitment to growing jobs and training skilled workers in the state.
“Workforce development is a cornerstone in our efforts to increase the level of education of our citizens, and in turn, our efforts to continue growing Alabama’s economy,” Ivey emphasized. “We are honored to have the support of the U.S. Department of Commerce and Secretary Ross to implement these much needed programs to train our workers for some of the state’s most in-demand jobs.”
Thank you for your trust and faith in Wallace State to produce the skilled workforce our state needs! https://t.co/lpC42lTxPd
— Wallace State (@wallacestate) September 20, 2018
“Businesses and manufacturers across the country are actively seeking workers with technical skills,” Shelby outlined.
Shelby continued, “This significant investment will allow Wallace State Community College the opportunity to equip students with the necessary innovative training to meet this heightened demand. Further, the new technical education center will serve a vital role in promoting workforce development and fostering economic growth throughout Alabama.”
I am proud to work with President Trump in fulfilling his mission to support rural America. These funds invest in jobs that help drive rural Alabama and provide a good quality of life.https://t.co/vpC2R1S5om
— Rep. Robert Aderholt (@Robert_Aderholt) September 20, 2018
This new investment will establish WSCC’s new technical education center, which will house a welding program and business incubator. The welding program upgrades will support and expand a pipeline of technical education for the region, and the incubator space will support the convergence of various community resources.
This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the North Central Alabama Regional Council of Governments, which partnered with the EDA to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment and create Alabama jobs.
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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