U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick announced yesterday that the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded the Technical College of the Lowcountry (TCL) a $5,928,210 grant, completing funding for construction of the Arthur E. Brown Regional Workforce Training Center on the college’s New River Campus in Bluffton.
Secretary Lutnick announced the award Monday during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Century Aluminum in Charleston.
The $27,428,210 project will construct a new 52,000-square-foot workforce training center. The project is expected to create 420 new jobs and leverage more than $118 million in private investment, strengthening the Lowcountry’s ability to meet current and future workforce needs. The EDA investment completes funding for the project.
The Arthur E. Brown Regional Workforce Training Center will expand the college’s capacity to prepare students for careers in advanced manufacturing and other high-demand fields. The new facility is expected to increase training capacity by approximately 850 students annually and will provide flexible learning spaces to meet the evolving workforce needs of existing and future employers.
The center is named in honor of retired U.S. Army General Arthur E. Brown Jr., whose leadership helped shape the Technical College of the Lowcountry. Brown served as chair of the TCL Foundation for more than a decade and later served 23 years on the college’s Area Commission, including 15 years as chair. During his tenure, the college opened the Mungin Center in Hampton, the Angus Cotton Building on the New River Campus and the Culinary Institute of the South.
Dr. Laurie A. Boeding, president of the Technical College of the Lowcountry, said the new center will position both the college and the region for continued growth.
“This center is an investment in people. It will prepare students for high-demand careers, help employers build the workforce they need, and strengthen the Lowcountry’s economy. We’re grateful for the partnerships that made this investment possible.”
The workforce center grew out of years of collaboration among the Technical College of the Lowcountry, regional employers, Southern Carolina Alliance, Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation and local governments. Together, they identified the need for expanded workforce training to support the region’s growing economy.
Speaking previously about workforce development, Secretary Lutnick said, “It’s time to train people not to do the jobs of the past, but to do the great jobs of the future.” The Arthur E. Brown Regional Workforce Training Center reflects that vision by preparing students for the careers driving the Lowcountry’s economy.
The Arthur E. Brown Regional Workforce Training Center will serve Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton and Colleton counties, strengthening the region’s workforce while supporting the continued growth of manufacturing and other industries.