U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $3 Million to Grow Skilled Healthcare Workforce in Southwestern Wyoming

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $3 million grant to Western Wyoming Community College District, Rock Springs, Wyoming, to help diversify the economy by boosting the region’s healthcare workforce.

The EDA project will renovate existing facilities and construct new educational spaces to support the creation of a Health Science Wing on Western Wyoming Community College’s main campus. The EDA investments will be matched with more than $5 million in state and local funds and is expected to help create 1,500 jobs, according to grantee estimates.

“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring that our nation’s coal communities are provided with the resources they need to transition to new industries,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “This EDA investment will result in greater educational and workforce opportunities for local students while helping to meet industry demand for skilled healthcare workers in the region.”

“Economic Development Administration investments play a vital role in helping communities impacted by the downturn of the coal economy diversify and grow for the future,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “The project will expand the Western Wyoming Community College’s capacity to meet critical demand for health sciences positions in its five-county service area.”

This project is funded under the Assistance to Coal Communities (ACC) initiative, through which EDA awards funds on a competitive basis to assist communities severely impacted by the declining use of coal. ACC projects support economic diversification, job creation, capital investment, workforce development, and re-employment opportunities.

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.