The state of Oklahoma has received a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to expand workforce training programs, as announced by U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo. The funds have been awarded to Oklahoma Ordnance Works Authority, based in Pryor, Oklahoma.
The grant will facilitate the construction of new classroom and laboratory spaces, alongside the procurement of related equipment at the MidAmerica Center of Excellence. The aim of the Center is to provide training in manufacturing and emerging electric vehicles and battery production technology. According to grantee estimates, this investment, which will be matched with $750,000 in local funds, is expected to create 210 jobs and generate $6.5 million in private investment.
In a statement, Secretary Raimondo underscored that this EDA investment aligns with the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Investing in America” agenda, aimed at supporting job creation across the nation and revitalizing America’s middle class. The investment is slated to energize Pryor’s workforce training and development in critical technologies, providing workers with the skills required for secure and stable jobs and encouraging private investment.
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, Alejandra Y. Castillo, added that the EDA works closely with local communities to stimulate place-based economic growth. The investment in Pryor is expected to foster new opportunities for workforce training, equipping individuals with the skills needed to secure jobs in key technology sectors, and invigorate the regional economy.
The funding for this project was sourced from the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023. The Act granted EDA an additional $483 million in Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) Program funds for disaster relief and recovery in areas that received a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Act as a result of Hurricanes Ian and Fiona, wildfires, flooding, and other natural disasters in calendar years 2021 and 2022.
