New $5 million training center opens to boost Midlands wages. See inside.
A new $5 million facility where candidates for area manufacturing jobs can train for the work has opened in Columbia, and local leaders say it’s a major step in boosting the number of well-paying jobs in the Midlands.
The Cornerstone Economic Development and Workforce Training Center is now operational in northeast Columbia, near the northeast branch of Midlands Technical College.
State and local leaders say having this training facility will increase the ability for area residents to get higher paying jobs by allowing candidates to train for the technical aspects of the work without necessarily needing prior experience. Scout Motors, which is building a $2 billion electric vehicle plant in Blythewood, will be the first company to train its workforce at the facility. The company has promised to provide “up to” 4,000 new positions at its new plant.
South Carolina Tech College head said 14,000 people have already expressed interest in those jobs.
But Scout won’t be the only company using the facility. Richland County leaders say they want to attract even more manufacturers.
“We’re providing the jobs, we’re … bringing in companies. We want to make sure that our residents right here in South Carolina are ready and trained to get those jobs,” said Jesica Mackey, chair of Richland County Council, at an event held to tour dignitaries around the facility Thursday morning.
The 41,000 square-foot project in Northeast Columbia was previously used by an architectural firm.
Renovating the building to turn it from offices and filing cabinets to a designated training hub for manufacturers cost $5 million, with $1.3 million coming from the South Carolina Tech College program Ready SC, $1.3 million from Midlands Technical College, $1.3 million from Richland County, and $1 million from the state Department of Commerce.
What does this new workforce training program look like? See for yourself.
