This EDA investment supports the renovation of a historic downtown old fort building to create a workforce training center to hold workforce development classes and establish manufacturing,…

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded a $1,175,100 Project Grant under the Economic Adjustment Assistance (CFDA 11.307) program to McDowell Technical Community College. The funding will support renovation of a historic downtown building in Marion, North Carolina to create a workforce training center offering workforce development classes, manufacturing, construction, and trail development certifications. The center will provide credentials, continuing education pathways, and work-based learning to provide jobs for local residents and meet employer needs in the economically distressed, rural communities. The training center will also promote competitiveness and provide opportunity and access for community members to benefit from growth in the local travel and tourism industry, advancing economic resiliency as the area transitions from decline in the coal industry. Project completion is scheduled for December 2024.

This EDA investment supports the renovation of a historic downtown old fort building to create a workforce training center to hold workforce development classes and establish manufacturing, construction, and trail development certification courses in marion, north carolina. The courses will provide credentials, certifications, continuing education (CTE) pathways, and work-based learning that provide jobs to local residents and meet employer workforce needs, benefitting the area's rural, economically distressed communities and promoting competitiveness. In addition, this project will provide opportunity and access to community members who may benefit economically from the burgeoning growth of the local travel and tourism industry, which will advance economic resiliency to an area that has been impacted by the decline in the coal industry.