U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $8 Million to Support Marine Technology Workforce Development in Georgetown, South Carolina

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding an $8 million grant to Horry-Georgetown Technical College in Conway, South Carolina, to construct a new training facility on the Georgetown campus.

This project will support an expansion of the college’s outboard marine technology program. This EDA investment will be matched with $4.7 million in local funds and is expected to create more than 470 jobs, and generate $75 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

“As part of the Biden Administration’s Investing in America agenda, we’re empowering our communities by ensuring that workers have the skills and resources they need to secure good-paying jobs in the communities where they live,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will increase training opportunities for the people of Conway and create pathways to professional growth for workers. Local investments like these are critical to helping meet regional industry workforce needs.”

“The Economic Development Administration is pleased to provide targeted, place-based grants designed to support local workforce development programs,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “The new workforce training facility will prepare students for quality, in-demand jobs and support the growth of the state’s marine manufacturing sector.”

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments (WRCOG). EDA funds WRCOG to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment and create jobs.

This project is funded under the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023, which provided EDA with $483 million in additional Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) Program funds for disaster relief and recovery for areas that received a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Act as a result of Hurricanes Ian and Fiona, wildfires, flooding, and other natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2021 and 2022. Please visit EDA’s Disaster Supplemental webpage for more information.

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.