Today the Department of Agriculture announced a $99,000 grant award to Coastal Pines Technical College that will help Commercial Truck Driving (CTD) students gain specialized training and meet the region’s need for qualified truck drivers. Funding is from USDA’s Rural Business Development Grant program (RBDG), a competitive grant designed to support targeted technical assistance, training and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas.
“Projects like this assist Georgia’s Technical Colleges to prepare a skilled workforce and meet local industry needs,” said Jill Stuckey, USDA Rural Development Georgia State Director. “This is a great example of how USDA programs can advance community economic goals in practical and integral ways.”
Funds will be used toward the purchase of a semi-truck for the CTD program. Coastal Pines Tech anticipates increased enrollment in the CTD program in response to local timber industry needs for qualified drivers. A component for hands on learning to pull a log trailer is being added to the curriculum. CPTC’s CTD program has consistently maintained a pass rate exceeding 96 percent on the Georgia Commercial Truck Driving Skills examination. Graduates of the College’s Timber Harvesting Program can build on their employability skills by also obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
In Fiscal Year 2016, Georgia Rural Development awarded twelve Rural Business Development Grants totaling $899,000, see http://www.rd.usda.gov/files/ga_fy16RBDGlist.pdf for a list of awardees.
Since 2009, nationwide, USDA Rural Development has invested $13.5 billion for 5,739 water and waste infrastructure projects, benefiting 19.1 million rural residents; invested nearly $13 billion to start or expand nearly 112,000 rural businesses; helped 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; funded nearly 9,200 community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care facilities; and helped bring high-speed Internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents and businesses. USDA also has invested $31.3 billion in 963 electric projects that have financed more than 185,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines serving 4.6 million rural residents. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/results.