Press Release
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $500,000 to Support Aerospace-Aviation Industry Training Efforts in Shreveport, Louisiana
Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
June 6, 2017
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $500,000 grant to the Shreveport Airport Authority of Shreveport, Louisiana, to renovate two existing buildings leased to Southern University Shreveport (LA) for their Airframe and Powerplant school. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 5 new jobs, retain 150 jobs, and spur $1.76 million in private investment.
“We commend the Shreveport Airport Authority for working to spur new opportunities in the region’s critical aerospace-aviation sector,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Affairs Dennis Alvord. “This project will not only bring much-needed jobs to the community, it will help fill a void in aircraft maintenance that is impacting the aviation sector nationwide.”
The project is located at the Shreveport Downtown Airport in the Cherokee Park neighborhood and sits in a flood-impacted area. The funding will allow the school the ability to recruit and train more aircraft technicians to meet the growing demand for trained aviation professionals. In addition, the project will attract financially disadvantaged residents in a primarily low-income African American neighborhood and throughout the region to the aerospace field where they are highly under-represented. The Southern University Shreveport (LA) program is one of few nationwide, and its students are in great demand for their aircraft maintenance skills.
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.