Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $3 million grant to East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, Mississippi, to construct a new industrial training facility on campus.
This grant will help prepare students for careers in the manufacturing and industrial service sectors, including electrical technology, welding and fabrication, HVAC maintenance, and more. This EDA investment will be matched with $4 million in state and local funds. It is expected to create or retain more than 250 jobs, and generate $750,000 in private investment, according to grantee estimates.
“As part of the Biden Administration’s Investing in America agenda, we’re ensuring that workers have the skills, resources, and opportunities they need to secure good-paying jobs in the communities where they live,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will support critical, in-demand job training programs in Mississippi, creating new economic opportunities in the fields that keep America growing.”
“The Economic Development Administration works closely with communities to support place-based, locally led economic development,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “Through this project, East Mississippi Community College will expand its ability to provide critical workforce training, spurring quality job growth in the region.”
“This is an investment into our state’s economy and future workforce,” said Senator Roger Wicker. “This funding will equip Mississippians with in-demand skills that will help place them on a path to success.”
“Mississippi’s community college system has a well-deserved reputation for excelling at job and career training. By adding this EDA grant to the funding mix, East Mississippi Community College will be able to improve its capabilities to prepare more Mississippians for in-demand industrial careers,” said Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. “This industrial training center will be a great addition to EMCC.”
“I am proud of the work East Mississippi Community College is doing to advance workforce training and am grateful for this investment from the Economic Development Administration,” said Congressman Michael Guest (MS-03). “I look forward to seeing how this support will continue to help students receive the training they need for critical careers that will grow our economy by opening up more job opportunities in our great state.”
This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the East Central Planning and Development District (ECPDD). EDA funds ECPDD 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 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.