Press Release
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests More Than $2 Million to Support Workforce Development in North Carolina
Contact: Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
Thursday, July 23, 2015
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a more than $2 million grant to Isothermal Community College in Spindale, North Carolina, to help build a workforce development training center. According to grantee estimates, the project will create nearly 600 jobs and generate more than $200 million in private investment.
“The Obama Administration has undertaken unprecedented efforts to support the skills development of our workforce,” said Secretary Pritzker. “As part of the Department of Commerce’s ‘Skills for Business’ initiative, this EDA investment announced today will provide vital training to members of the Spindale community, preparing them with the skills needed to fill 21st century jobs.”
The Isothermal Comprehensive Applied Sciences and Workforce Development Center will serve the residents of Rutherford and Polk counties, which according to the North Carolina Department of Commerce, are the two most economically distressed counties in North Carolina. The facility will offer training in chemical and materials engineering, advanced industrial technologies, and other curricula for innovative, regional businesses to help transition the region's traditional textile and furniture manufacturing economy to one that can meet the demands of emerging industries using advanced industrial technologies.
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.