Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $5 million grant to Belmont College, St. Clairsville, Ohio, for construction of a new building to house the construction trades program.
This grant will support regional workforce development in the construction trades, preparing students for good-paying, in-demand jobs in building preservation and restoration, HVAC repair, and related safety programs. The EDA investment will be matched with $3.2 million in state and local funds and is expected to create 100 jobs and generate $200,000 in private investment, according to grantee estimates.
“President Biden is committed to supporting communities as they build a better America,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will create a skilled workforce to meet local needs in the construction trades, while creating jobs and building economic resiliency in the region.”
“The Economic Development Administration is pleased to support locally driven efforts to strengthen the regional economy,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “We are proud to partner with Belmont College as it leads the effort to build a robust construction trades workforce in the Appalachian Region of Ohio and West Virginia, ensuring that economic resiliency reaches all pockets of our country.”
“Ohio has a proud history of leading the country in manufacturing innovation. We’re building on that legacy by making new investments in Belmont College to train the next generation of Ohio construction workers,” said Senator Sherrod Brown. “We know Ohio workers can compete with anyone in the world, and this will allow more Ohioans to build careers in good-paying jobs.”
“As a longtime supporter of the local trades, I am very pleased that Belmont College is a recipient of this award,” said Congressman Bill Johnson (OH-06). “The more we can do to help students develop their skills and prepare them for today’s modern workforce, the better. These skilled trades will always be essential to America’s future, and the marketable skills the students will obtain will better prepare them to pursue their own version of the American Dream. I look forward to continuing to work with college and local officials to ensure the success of the construction trades program.”
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.