U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $21.5 Million to Develop Electric Vehicle Workforce Training Program in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee Through American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $21.5 million American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge grant to the Mid-South Center for Occupational Innovation, Memphis, Tennessee, to establish Opportunity Now!, an electric vehicle workforce training program.

This program will establish one-stop Accelerated Skills Training centers in East Arkansas, North Mississippi, and West Tennessee, creating a skilled workforce necessary for regional economic expansion.

“President Biden is committed to supporting workforce development within the clean energy industry,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This investment will create a workforce training program in electric vehicle production, to grow and expand this important industry, place workers in quality jobs, and strengthen American supply chains.”

“The Good Jobs Challenge is bringing together diverse partners and local leaders to advance workforce training programs across the country,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “As clean energy becomes more and more prominent, this EDA investment will provide the regional workforce necessary for this emerging industry, providing quality, good-paying jobs and economic resiliency.”

This grant is funded through the American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge. The program awarded grants to 32 worker-centered, industry-led workforce training partnerships across the country. The $500 million program is expanding opportunities for more Americans to access and secure good-paying jobs by investing in innovative approaches to advance worker-centered, industry-led workforce training partnerships.

The 32 awardee projects were selected from a competitive pool of 509 applicants. By partnering with stakeholders such as labor unions, community colleges and industry, these projects will solve for local talent needs, increase the supply of trained workers and help workers secure jobs in 15 key industries that are essential to U.S. supply chains, global competitiveness, and regional development. Through a holistic, integrated partnership approach, these projects will provide tangible opportunities and security for American workers, focusing on serving and supporting a broad range of underserved communities and connecting workers with the training, skills, and support services needed to successfully secure a good job. For more information on the grantees, please visit our fact sheet. (PDF)

The Good Jobs Challenge is part of a suite of American Rescue Plan programs developed by EDA to equitably distribute its $3 billion allocation to assist communities nationwide in their efforts to build a better America by accelerating economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and building local economies that will be more resilient to future economic shocks.

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 invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.