Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.25 Million for Vocational Training in Las Vegas

Contact: Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
Tuesday, September 1, 2015

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.25 million grant to Expertise, Inc. of Las Vegas, Nevada to create a cosmetology and barber vocational training facility. According to grantee estimates, this project will create more than 550 jobs.

“The Obama Administration is committed to supporting workforce development across a variety of fields and industries to bolster job growth and employment opportunities,” said Secretary Pritzker. “The EDA investment announced today will provide valuable training in the Las Vegas area for an industry that is a major contributor to the local economy.”

EDA’s investment provides funding for the construction and equipping of an 11,000 square foot vocational training facility in North Las Vegas, Nevada. The facility will train the workforce to prepare them for employment opportunities in the stable cosmetology industry, which is largely entrepreneurial in nature, with wages significantly higher than the minimum wage.

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.