Wallace State Community College holds ribbon cutting at new Workforce Training Center
Wallace State Community College (WSCC) held a ribbon cutting on Wednesday for its new Workforce Training Center, which is located on the grounds of Rehau. The Workforce Training Center will provide facilities for training programs and services offered by the college’s Center for Career and Workforce Development. Initially, classes for phlebotomy, computer office training, fiber optics training, some manufacturing training, and a Skills for Success lab will be offered at the site. WSCC plans to offer classes for Certified Nursing Assistants and Medication Assistant Certification at the center soon. Alabama Community College System Chancellor Jimmy Baker, State Rep. Randall Shedd, Cullman Mayor Woody Jacobs, and Cullman Economic Development Agency Director Dale Greer were in attendance, as well as WSCC President Dr. Vicki Karolewics, Vice President for Advancement and Innovation Suzanne Harbin and industry partners Jeremy Sturdivant of the Jimmie Hale Mission, and Tracy Rushing of R.E. Garrison Trucking. Space will also be available for use by area businesses and industries that need facilities for employee training. Hardin said that the facility provides them with a central location to host classes and store materials and supplies for their programs. Through its Pro Skills Pathways program, the Center for Career and Workforce Development offers short-term training to earn credentials students can use to get a job, advance in their current job, or use as credit to articulate into a credit-bearing program at Wallace State. Economic developer Dr. Nicole Jones Wadsworth told Alabama Today, “Wallace State’s newest workforce training center at the Rehau campus will transform the lives of the people in Cullman and the surrounding area. Courses offered will equip graduates with in-demand skills that translate into jobs within a variety of trades. We applaud Wallace State for its continuous communication with industry partners and willingness to go the extra mile to serve our communities.” Registration for the Spring 2024 semester is underway, with classes beginning January 8 for regular and Mini Term I and March 6 for Mini Term II. Registration for Flex Start I courses will be held Jan. 13-19, with classes starting January 15, and registration for Flex Start II courses will be held Jan. 20-26, with classes beginning January 22. To register for classes, visit their website. The two-year college system has an enormously important role in training Alabama’s workforce. This expansion with the Workforce Training Center will help Wallace State perform in that role. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Richard Shelby announces $1.17M ARC POWER Grant for Wallace State Community College
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. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
