Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.6 million grant to Lamar State College of Port Arthur, Texas, to build a Process Technology Training Unit that will provide state-of-the-art industrial training equipment for students and individuals currently employed in the petrochemical and chemical industries. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 900 jobs.
“President Trump continues to diligently work to provide job growth and technical training Americans need and want,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “This project will not only help revitalize Port Arthur’s economy following last year’s devastating storm, but will also ensure the community has the skilled workforce it needs to support its local industries and to create jobs far into the future.”
“As a leader in the petrochemical and chemical industries, Texas is the ideal destination for the state-of-the-art industrial training equipment provided by this grant,” said Governor Abbott. “This investment in the students of Lamar State College of Port Arthur will make a lasting impact on a community and an industry that continues to recover after Hurricane Harvey. I thank the administration for their commitment to Texas students and to continued economic growth throughout this recovery process.”
“Education and jobs-based training make all the difference,” said Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14). “Lamar State College is in tune with the needs of its community and wants to see its students succeed. The college and community are working together to support each other’s goals. Many thanks to this Administration and the EDA grant for helping our community achieve success.”
This project will help improve the local workforce and aid the region’s recovery from Hurricane Harvey. This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission (SETRPC). EDA funds SETRPC 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.
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.