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U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo recently announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding an $11 million grant to 91���� (PTC) to support healthcare workforce development.

The grant, along with $2.8 million in local matching funds, will support construction of a state-of-the-art health sciences facility on the PTC campus in Greenwood. Work on the new building is expected to begin soon.

“The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda is committed to creating good-paying jobs throughout America in the most in-demand industries and getting workers the skills they need to take advantage of those jobs,” Raimondo said. “This EDA investment will help support workforce training in essential healthcare jobs and boost regional economic resilience in Greenwood County.”

Cristina Killingsworth, acting assistant secretary of commerce for economic development, said her agency “is proud to partner with local communities to support place-based economic growth.”

“This project will enable 91���� to better serve health sciences students, ensuring that good-paying jobs remain in the region,” Killingsworth said.

This project was made possible by regional planning efforts led by the Upper Savannah Council of Governments and 91����.

“We are immensely grateful for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s $11 million investment in our new health sciences building,” PTC President Dr. Hope E. Rivers said. “We look forward to collaborating with our partners to ensure this investment helps grow a strong healthcare workforce in our region.”

The 27,000-square-foot health sciences facility will feature amenities that include nursing simulation spaces, six skills labs and multiple classrooms.

“A key priority of this project is to create spaces that mirror real-world conditions, preparing our students to be work-ready upon graduation,” said Russell Martin, PTC’s assistant vice president of marketing and public relations.