U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.5 Million to Expand Electrical Trades Workforce Development in Ohio

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.5 million grant to the Butler and Warren County Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Trust Fund in Hamilton, Ohio, to expand electrical trades workforce development opportunities in the region.

This grant will construct the Butler Warren County Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Center, a 19,900-square-foot electrical trades training facility in Liberty Township, Ohio. This EDA investment will be matched with $1.5 million in local funds and is expected to create 300 jobs, retain 200 jobs, and generate $20 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

“The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda is committed to creating good-paying jobs throughout America in the most in-demand industries and getting workers the skills they need to take advantage of those jobs,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will support workforce development in essential technical jobs, diversify the local economy, and boost regional economic resilience in Ohio.”

“The U.S. Economic Development Administration is proud to partner with local communities to support place-based economic development,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and External Affairs, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Economic Development Cristina Killingsworth. “This project will increase the capacity for electrical trades apprenticeships in Butler and Warren counties preparing residents for good-paying, quality jobs and creating economic resilience.”

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.