Jump to main content.

THIS IS AN ARCHIVED SITE

This site contains information that has been considered archived and will no longer be updated. Please click here to go to the CURRENT eda.gov website.

A bureau within the U.S. Department of Commerce
Newsroom

Newsroom

Press Release

U.S. Commerce Department Invests $1.1 Million to Support Workforce Training in South Carolina

Contact: Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
Friday, September 12, 2014


WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.1 million grant to the Spartanburg Community College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The investment will help build the Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Technologies (CAMIT) facility, which will offer workforce training in several areas of manufacturing. According to the grantee, the project is expected to create 84 jobs and generate nearly $20 million in private investment.

“The Obama Administration and Commerce Department are committed to supporting a talented and skilled workforce for today’s 21st century jobs,” said Secretary Pritzker. “The EDA investment announced today will help create a facility to develop a robust pipeline of skilled manufacturing technicians to meet the needs of industry the Spartanburg region.”

According to the grantee, despite recent improvements, the 24-month average unemployment rate in South Carolina is consistently higher than the national average. EDA’s investment will help fund the construction of the CAMIT facility, which will house nine flexible lab and classroom spaces for training in the areas of welding, computer numeric control machine tool technology, and mechatronics, including automated manufacturing and robotics.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.