Irvine, KY – Today, Congressman Andy Barr (KY-06) visited the Estill County Area Technology Center. This new facility is expected to be completed in August of 2021 and will be a home for state-of-the-art job training in Estill County that will empower hundreds of Kentuckians with the skills to thrive in the 21st Century economy. Congressman Barr supported the Estill County Board of Education’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant application with the U.S. Department of Commerce. This request was approved in 2019 and provided a $4 million grant to support the project.
“Investing in job training and enhancing the skills of our workforce here in Kentucky could not be a more-timely initiative as America seeks to shift supply chains back home,” said Congressman Andy Barr. “The Estill County Area Technology Center will equip Kentuckians for jobs in advanced manufacturing, diesel mechanics and health science, information technology and engineering (STEM), in addition to many other industries. I am excited by the progress being made on this project, and I look forward to returning when it is completed.”
“This facility will be a major boost to our community and offer incredible new opportunities for our students and residents,” said Jeff Saylor, Superintendent of the Estill County Board of Education. “Congressman Barr has supported us every step of the way, including with our grant request to the Department of Commerce that provided $4 million for our new building. I want to thank Congressman Barr for his continued support of the Estill County Area Technology Center.”
The Estill County Area Technology Center is being built in a federally designated Opportunity Zone. Congressman Barr voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. The TCJA created federal Opportunity Zones, enhancing the Estill County Board of Education’s grant request with the Department of Commerce and allowing them to request a higher investment in their grant application.