Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown, N.C., has been awarded a $1.7 million grant through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration for construction of a truck driver training facility.
The facility would be placed on the college’s East Greensboro campus, according to a June 6 news release. An asphalt training pad, parking lot and more will expand the college’s ability to provide truck driver workforce training. The grant will be matched with $2.6 million in state funds.
“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,” Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in the release. “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.”
It is expected this initiative will create 1,7822 jobs, the release reported.
The new truck driver training facility “will double enrollment” in the program, “leading to good-paying, high quality jobs,” Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Castillo said in the release.
“The Economic Development Administration is pleased to support enhancement of Guilford Technical Community College’s Truck Driver Training program,” Castillo added, according to the release.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said the grant will help students develop skills that will shape their careers, the release said.
“North Carolina’s highly skilled workers are the driving force behind the decisions by many companies to expand in and come to North Carolina,” Cooper said in the release.
U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and U.S. Rep. Kathy Manning, D-N.C., also praised the grant for its positive impact on the region, such as creating employment opportunities and filling essential truck driving roles in the state, the release reported.
The Piedmont Triad Regional Council, a voluntary association of local governments that in part identifies and solves problems, led regional planning efforts that helped make the project possible, according to the release
