THIS EDA INVESTMENT WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW WELDING TRAINING FACILITY AT INDEPENDENCE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN INDEPENDENCE, KANSAS, PROVIDING TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS FOR WELDERS IN A RURAL REGION. INDEPENDENCE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS IMPROVING LOCAL AND REGIONAL RESILIENCE AND SUPPORTING EMPLOYER-DRIVEN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WITH THIS PROJECT. SOUTHEAST KANSAS CRITICALLY NEEDS ADDITIONAL, SKILLED WORKERS IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, AND THIS INVESTMENT WILL RESULT IN THE CERTIFICATION OF MORE THAN 50 ADDITIONAL CERTIFIED WELDERS PER YEAR. THIS PROJECT WILL SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF REGIONAL BUSINESSES AND A PROJECTED $1 MILLION IN PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN ADDITION TO 10 JOBS CREATED AND MORE THAN 100 GRADUATES PLACED INTO JOBS.THIS PROJECT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE REGIONAL PLANNING EFFORTS LED BY THE SOUTHEAST KANSAS REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION (RPC). EDA FUNDED THE COMPLETION OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS RPC'S COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 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.