U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.8 Million for Building Infrastructure Improvements to Support Workforce Development in Wisconsin

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.8 million grant to Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, for building renovations needed to boost workforce development in the region.

This grant will provide for the creation of a workforce development center on the Adams County campus, to provide training in the healthcare, welding, and construction sectors. This EDA investment will be matched with $1.8 million in local funds and is expected to create 150 jobs, retain 50 jobs, and generate $2 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

"The Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America Agenda is committed to creating good-paying jobs throughout America in the most in-demand industries and getting workers the skills they need to take advantage of those jobs," said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo."This EDA investment will help support essential technical jobs, diversify the local economy, and boost regional economic resilience in Wisconsin Rapids for decades to come."

"The U.S. Economic Development Administration is proud to partner with local communities to execute place-based initiatives that respond to the local needs of the economy," said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and External Affairs, performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary for Economic Development Cristina Killingsworth. "This project will enable Mid-State Technical College to bolster the in-demand talent pool of healthcare, manufacturing, and construction workers in Adams County to ensure that good-paying jobs remain in the region."

"I declared 2024 the Year of the Worker in Wisconsin because we're working to bolster our workforce to ensure we're ready to meet the demands of a 21st-century economy," said Governor Tony Evers. "Our technical colleges play a critical role in helping train and retain talented workers, so I am grateful to the EDA, Mid-State Technical College, and the Biden-Harris Administration for their partnership in helping create family-supporting jobs and prepare highly skilled workers right here in Wisconsin."

"This investment will help Wisconsinites get the skills they need to land good-paying jobs in growing fields so they can plant roots and build a life here in the Badger State," said Senator Tammy Baldwin. "I am proud to support Mid-State Technical College and give more Wisconsinites the opportunity to get a foot in the door of in-demand careers and meet our local businesses' demands for a skilled and ready workforce."