U.S. Senator Richard Shelby applauded the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announcement that Wallace State Community College–Hanceville (WSCC) was awarded $1,169,958 for the Supporting Electric Vehicle Manufacturing and Maintenance in North Alabama project.
“The Appalachian Regional Commission has been an integral partner in promoting workforce development in Alabama, and today’s announcement reaffirms ARC’s commitment to helping our state prosper,” Shelby said in a press release. “I look forward to the many benefits expected to stem from this investment. A well-trained workforce is key to fueling Alabama’s economy.”
The grant will be awarded through ARC’s Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) initiative. It will provide funding for on-the-job training and the procurement of necessary certifications for students and workers, creating a talent pipeline for careers in the electric vehicle (EV) field.
Based on a previous ARC POWER-funded study of automotive manufacturing in North-Central Alabama, this roughly $1.17 million grant will allow WSCC to update its Mechatronics Program and create new EV programs in its Automotive Services and Diesel Technician programs to include the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by the industry.
WSCC will partner with the American Trucking Association, Freightliner, Kenworth, and Mercedes-Benz to bring its mechatronics, automotive services, and diesel technician programs into alignment with EV needs. By the third year of programming, WSCC will serve 230 students and prepare workers for new employment opportunities in an area that has experienced a loss of jobs in the coal sector.
ARC’s POWER grant program is a congressionally-funded initiative that targets federal resources to help communities and regions affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries due to the changing economics of America’s energy production.
This award is part of a $46.4 million package supporting 57 projects across 184 coal-impacted counties through ARC’s POWER Initiative. POWER targets federal resources to communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries.
“The downturn of the coal industry has impacted economies across Appalachia. That’s why ARC’s POWER initiative helps to leverage regional partnerships and collaborations to support efforts to create a more vibrant economic future for coal-impacted communities,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “Many of the projects we announced today will invest in educating and training the Appalachian workforce, nurturing entrepreneurship, and supporting infrastructure—including broadband access. These investments in our Appalachian coal-impacted communities are critical in leveling the economic playing field so our communities can thrive.”
The ARC is an economic development partnership agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian Region.
Shelby has served the people of Alabama in the U.S. Senate for 36 years.
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