PLYMOUTH, Indiana (Aug. 16, 2024) – Local and regional leaders broke ground today on the Marshall County Career Innovation Center, a $9 million career and technical education construction project that is expected to serve students from 10 rural public schools in Northern Indiana.

Located on the Plymouth High School campus, the Career Center is expected to be able to serve 425 students per year and 175 adults with graduation and job or education placement rates of nearly 95 percent. The focus will on programming that fill industry needs in careers that pay a living wage such as construction trades, advanced manufacturing, aviation, veterinary science, nursing, automotive technology, criminal justice, culinary arts, early childhood education, and entrepreneurship. The project will also create 32 new daycare seats for teachers and students.

“Our school districts have worked for years on this vision to bring more CTE resources to our students and help place them in quality job and educational opportunities,” said Allie Shook, the Executive Director of the Marshall County Lifelong Learning Network. “This Center will further enhance our community’s vibrancy and economic growth potential.”

The Career Center received $1.75 million in READI 1.0 funding awarded by the Northern Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA). Launched by Gov. Holcomb and led by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), READI encourages regional collaboration and data-driven, long-term planning that will attract and retain talent in Indiana and improve the quality of life for Hoosiers. READI was established with an initial $500 million in partnership with the Indiana General Assembly in 2021 and has since grown to a $1.25 billion initiative. The IEDC initially awarded the maximum grant amount of $50 million to the South Bend – Elkhart region, and in April, the region was awarded an additional $45 million in READI 2.0 funds, with the RFP process underway.

“The Marshall County Career Innovation Center will make an amazing impact on the county,” said John DeSalle, Chair of the Northern Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA). “The need for career and technical education is great, and this facility will serve the needs of students and adults throughout Marshall County, helping them transform their potential into a thriving career.”

For more information on this and other Northern Indiana RDA READI 1.0 awards, visit https://southbendelkhart.org/regional-collaboration/get-readi/

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About South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership

The South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership seeks to unify and collaborate so that together, the communities across the region to work together to achieve what cannot be done individually. For more information about the Regional Partnership, visit SouthBendElkhart.org.

About the Northern Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA)

Formed in 2015, the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Development Authority (RDA) represents the three Indiana counties of Elkhart, Marshall, and St. Joseph. The RDA is overseen by a five-member board, each appointed by the mayors and commissioners of member counties and municipalities. The RDA is committed to the continued improvement of the South Bend – Elkhart region and receives staffing support from the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership, the lead regional economic development organization for the region. For more information about RDA, click here.