This award provides funding to the Johnston County Industrial Development Corporation to support the expansion and modernization of the Johnston County Workforce Development Center (WDC), the region’s primary hub for technical training in biotechnology and automation. This initiative, spearheaded in collaboration with Johnston Community College, the Research and Training Zone Board, and the county, aims to expand classroom and multipurpose spaces to support the introduction of new programs and to train more students. The expansion is anticipated to increase training capacity by 25%, allowing service to an additional 80 students annually from life sciences programs. It will also increase capacity for local industry to conduct incumbent worker training. Industry collaborators, including Novo Nordisk and Grifols, are committed to ensuring that the program remains aligned with workforce demands. The current facility will be repurposed to provide additional laboratory space, while the new construction will accommodate all classrooms. Golden LEAF funds will be used for new construction, including design/engineering and construction administration.
