Press Release
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $3 Million to Strengthen Healthcare Workforce in Oregon???
Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
August 28, 2017
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $3 million grant to the Southwestern Oregon Community College, of Coos Bay, Oregon, to build a new Health and Science Technology Building that will provide expanded training opportunities to healthcare workers in the region. According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 241 jobs, retain 637 jobs, and generate $5 million in private investment.
“The efforts of local leaders have allowed for the development of new opportunities in the healthcare sector for the population living in the Coos Bay area,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “These improvements to the Southwestern Oregon Community College workforce training facilities will help local workers gain the skills employers in the region need to compete and thrive.”
This project will result in expanded and modernized lab, classroom, and lecture space to accommodate health and science programs at Southwestern Oregon Community College’s main campus in Coos Bay. Training of the region’s healthcare workforce will help meet demand for current positions in the health care and scientific job sector.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead 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.