Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $4.9 Million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance to Support Healthcare Workforce Training Efforts in Pueblo, Colorado

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $4.9 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to Pueblo Community College (PCC), Pueblo, Colorado, to expand the college’s healthcare training program.

The project will allow PCC to expand and grow its healthcare program, adding 225 students, and developing the skilled workforce the community needs to recover and rebuild from the pandemic. The grant will provide funding to renovate two floors of the St. Mary Corwin Hospital and will be matched with $1.2 million in local funds, is expected to create more than 1,100 jobs.

“The importance of growing our nation’s healthcare workforce cannot be overstated, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “This EDA investment in Pueblo Community College will allow for expansion of the healthcare workforce training programs, increasing the number of health care professionals to fill vital, good-paying jobs in the region, which will benefit both our nation’s economy and overall health.”

“The Economic Development Administration supports communities as they implement workforce development strategies to respond and recover from the coronavirus pandemic,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This EDA investment will provide the capacity to educate an additional 225 students for careers in healthcare and creating a skilled workforce in the community.”

“I’m so excited about how this new $4.9 million grant to the Pueblo Community College will prepare people for good-paying jobs and help improve the quality of care in Pueblo. I thank Secretary Raimondo and Assistant Secretary Castillo for their efforts in making this investment possible,” said Governor Jared Polis. “Now more than ever, it’s critical that we invest in our health care workforce and provide the training needed to help the next generation of health care workers succeed.”

“As communities in Colorado continue to rebuild and recover from the COVID-19 crisis, I’m glad to see this important investment in Pueblo Community College,” said Senator Michael Bennet. “This funding that we worked to secure in the CARES Act will help PCC grow its health care program to expand opportunities for future generations of students. We need to make investments like these in our communities to support our economy, build a more diverse workforce, strengthen local health care systems, and prepare for the next public health crisis.”

“Investing in workforce training will help Pueblo get back to work,” said Senator John Hickenlooper. “These funds will increase our skilled, front-line health care workers we rely on to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.”

This project is funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law 116-136 PDF), which provided EDA with $1.5 billion for economic assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance, which is being administered under the authority of the bureau’s flexible Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) (PDF) program, provides a wide-range of financial assistance to eligible communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

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 invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.