Press Release
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $3 Million to Support Workforce Development in Southern Oregon
Contact: Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $3 million grant to Klamath Community College in Klamath Falls, Oregon, to help build the Work Skills Technology Center on campus. According to grantee estimates, the facility will serve approximately 500 students per year.
“The Obama Administration is committed to helping communities develop a workforce with the skills needed for 21st century jobs,” said Secretary Pritzker. “As part of the Department of Commerce’s ‘Skills for Business’ initiative, the EDA grant announced today will support expanded skills training to meet the needs of Oregon’s growing business fields.”
According to the grantee, the State of Oregon Employment Department has projected that over 700 job openings are expected in high-skill fields such as health information technology, web development, and others over the next ten years. EDA’s investment will help to establish a facility with classroom and computer lab space at Klamath Community College to house workforce skills training within targeted industry sectors, including aviation airframe, business technology, computer engineering technology, media marketing, manufacturing, and health information management, to accommodate the demands of local businesses and creating pathways for individuals to seek jobs with a higher wage potential.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The Economic Development Administration marks 50 years of public service, leading 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 makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.