NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The U.S. Secretary of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration has allocated $8.1 million in grants for workforce development and business growth in Louisiana. Nearly $5 million of the funds will end up in Westwego and Houma.
The EDA announced on Tuesday, April 9, that the investments will go toward:
- A $3.5 million grant to the SOWELA Technical Community College in Lake Charles to establish a Flight Training School and support aerospace workforce development. The project will be matched with $3.1 million in local funds and is expected to retain 170 jobs.
- A $2.6 million grant for the South Central Planning and Development Commission in Houma for building infrastructure improvements to support workforce development and create jobs. The project will be matched with $2.6 in local funds and is expected to create 40 jobs.
- A $2 million grant to the Jefferson Parish Economic Development and Port District in Westwego to construct the Greater New Orleans Food & Beverage Incubator that will provide facilities and technical assistance to small businesses in the region. The project will be matched with $2.2 million in local funds and is expected to retain 420 jobs.
“President Biden is committed to ensuring that all communities in Louisiana and across the country have the resources needed to grow and thrive. These EDA investments will support workforce development and essential job-creating infrastructure in Lake Charles, Houma, and Westwego, that will strengthen their robust and diverse regional economies,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.
Raimondo says all of the projects are funded under the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act, 2023, that provided the EDA with $483 million in additional Economic Adjustment Assistance Program funds for disaster relief and recovery.
“I’m excited to announce these investments from the Economic Development Administration which will create a significant boost for workforce development and business growth in our state. These initiatives will create hundreds of jobs and attract millions in private investment. This is a proactive approach to fostering robust and diverse regional economies, ensuring Louisiana’s prosperity for years to come,” said Representative Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02).
Raimondo added that the SOWELA Technical Community College project was made possible by the regional planning efforts lef by the Southwest Louisiana Regional Planning Commission.
For more information on the funding, visit the EDA’s website.
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