U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.7 Million to Boost Truck Driver Training

What’s going on:      

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that it is awarding a $1.7 million grant to Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown, North Carolina, for the construction of a truck driver training facility on the college’s East Greensboro campus. The EDA stated that the project will expand the college’s capacity to provide truck driver workforce development training through new infrastructure upgrades such as an asphalt training pad and an expanded parking lot.  

The EDA investment is going to be matched by $2.6 million in state funds and is expected to create 1,782 jobs, according to the EDA’s announcement. 

Why it matters:         

There have been a growing number of workplace readiness initiatives across the U.S. to help bolster new opportunities in the workforce. New data shows that these kinds of workforce readiness programs are recording a slight increase in demand by students graduating from high school.  

This particular investment by the EDA aligns with the Biden Administration’s Investing in America agenda and Trucking Action Plan, which aims to strengthen America’s trucking workforce and bolster supply chain resilience.  

How it’ll impact the future:        

Larger U.S. investments into workforce readiness programs are aiming to reduce unemployment levels and promote economic growth within the country by equipping potential employees with skills needed for in-demand jobs.  

The new facilities in North Carolina are expected to double enrollment in the truck driver training program, leading to more high-quality job opportunities for skilled workers. These kinds of initiatives will likely have long-lasting impacts on the job market as a wider pool of potential employees can be prepared for in demands jobs across the U.S.