Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.7 million grant to Guilford Technical Community College, Jamestown, North Carolina, to construct a truck driver training facility on the college’s East Greensboro campus.
This project will provide an asphalt training pad, parking lot and other infrastructure upgrades to expand Guilford Technical Community College’s capacity to provide truck driver workforce training. This EDA investment will be matched with $2.6 million in state funds and is expected to create 1,782 jobs, according to grantee estimates.
This grant will bolster the aims of the Biden Administration’s Trucking Action Plan to grow and strengthen America’s trucking workforce.
“As part of the Biden Administration’s Investing in America agenda, we’re 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 in Guilford Technical Community College will increase truck driving training opportunities to create pathways to professional growth in this traditionally underserved area, helping meet regional industry workforce needs and bolstering supply chain resilience.”
“The Economic Development Administration is pleased to support enhancement of Guilford Technical Community College’s Truck Driver Training program,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “The new facilities will double enrollment in this critical workforce training program, leading to good-paying, high quality jobs.”
“North Carolina’s highly skilled workers are the driving force behind the decisions by many companies to expand in and come to North Carolina,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “This grant to Guilford Technical Community College will have long-lasting impacts and help our students develop critical skills that will help shape their careers.”
“The trucking industry is an important part of America’s transportation and we must make investments to train the next generation of drivers,” said Senator Thom Tillis. “This grant to construct a training facility at Guilford Technical is a huge win for the Triad and will create good-paying jobs in the region.”
“I’m pleased to see the Economic Development Administration invest $1.7 million in Guilford Technical Community College’s truck driver workforce development initiative,” said Congresswoman Kathy Manning (NC-06). “With this federal funding, Guilford Tech will increase training for Sixth District workers, preparing them to take on good-paying jobs and helping to fill critical truck driving roles in North Carolina.”
This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Piedmont Triad Regional Council (PTRC). EDA funds PTRC 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.