Press Release
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $3 Million to Build Apprenticeship and Industrial Trades Center for Workforce Development in Klamath Falls, Oregon
Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
August 14, 2020
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $3 million grant to Klamath Community College, Klamath Falls, Oregon, to build an on-campus Apprenticeship and Industrial Trades Center. The EDA grant, to be matched with $3.4 million in state funding, is expected to create 166 jobs and generate $677,000 in private investment.
“President Trump is working diligently to strengthen our country’s workforce training to serve business needs, facilitate job creation, and grow our economy,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “The new Apprenticeship and Industrial Trades Center at Klamath Community College will boost workforce training opportunities in rural Oregon to support existing businesses and spur new business growth.”
“This EDA investment will support the construction of a 35,000 square-foot building dedicated to hands-on industrial shop learning at Klamath Community College,” said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “EDA is pleased to support the training of dedicated workers in trades such as plumbing, electrical work, pipefitting and machinery, and the specialized fire science training to be offered at the Center that will in turn protect the community and its businesses.”
“I want to thank the Trump Administration and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross for funding this important program,” said Congressman Greg Walden (OR-02). “Building the Apprenticeship and Industrial Trade Center will provide critical job training opportunities for rural Oregonians, support the workforce demands of many local businesses, and provide economic growth for the entire region.”
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.