Nov. 25—NEOSHO, Mo. — Crowder College on Saturday announced it is purchasing a building in Joplin to continue to provide workforce training in the region.
The new building is on Hammons Boulevard near between I-44 and 32nd Streets in Joplin, in the former Victory building, the college said.
In a statement, the college also said it is providing $6 million from American Rescue Plan Act funds to aid in the purchase.
“We are grateful for Governor (Mike) Parson and the state legislatures who saw the need for a training facility,” Katricia Pierson, Crowder president, said in a statement. “Short-term training and employment demand have created an increase in the students we have seen at the ATTC. The new facility will provide expansion options to meet the needs for our area.”
Crowder has since 2017 offered programs at the Joplin Advanced Training and Technology Center, 420 Grand Ave., near the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce.
That center was the result of a partnership of the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Crowder College and the Workforce Innovation Board of Southwest Missouri, to provide adult education and training courses in an effort to assist in workforce development in the region.
The chamber foundation purchased the building with $3.9 million in federal grant funds provided by the city of Joplin and leased the space to Crowder. The city also provided $1.6 million from federal grant funds to equip the center.
“The city of Joplin and the Joplin Chamber of Commerce have been terrific supporters of Crowder College, assisting with the first grant that allowed Crowder to start workforce training programs in Joplin,” Andy Wood, chairman of the Crowder College Board of Trustees, said in a statement.