GOVERNOR J-B PRITZKER IS ANNOUNCING A 15 MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT IN TWO NEW MANUFACTURING TRAINING ACADEMIES IN DOWNSTATE ILLINOIS.

THE STATE-OF-THE-ART TRAINING FACILITIES ARE BEING BUILT AT HEARTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN NORMAL AND SOUTHWESTERN ILLINOIS COLLEGE IN THE METRO EAST AREA. GOVERNOR PRITZKER SAYS IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER THAT THE STATE HAS A SKILLED WORKFORCE.

HEARTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN NORMAL AND SOUTHWESTERN ILLINOIS COLLEGE IN BELLEVILLE WILL BE HOME TO NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES, DEDICATED TO PREPARING A STRONG WORKFORCE SAYS STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACTING DIRECTOR SYLVIA GARCIA.

THE ACADEMY AT HEARTLAND WILL BE A PARTNERSHIP WITH RIVIAN AUTOMOTIVE, FOCUSING ON ELECTRIC VEHICLE ENERGY STORAGE. TRAINING AT SOUTHWESTERN WILL INCLUDE PRECISION MACHINING STARTING IN THE FALL OF 2022, TO BE FOLLOWED BY WELDING MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICITY.