Page 25 - New Allen Alliance Digital Book

Project Activities: Industrial Sites and Workforce & Entrepreneurial Development

Industrial Sites Workforce and Entrepreneurial Development
US 24 (“Fort to Port”) and US 30, served by New Haven and Woodburn, have A workforce adequate in number and skills is essential for a sustainable economy.
been identified as targeted areas in Allen County for future industrial growth. The As the quality-of-place investment strategies of this plan work to retain and attract
New Haven Triangle area, bound by I-469, US 24 and US 30, has been studied to a talented workforce, it is also important to make sure complementary educational
understand the infrastructure needs of the area. Adams Center Road in New Haven strategies are in place. Business and industry rely on skilled labor, and in turn
has had additional recent transportation infrastructure improvements through residents of our communities require jobs with good wages. As our economy and
the Maumee Center Road Extension, which provided the connectivity needed to the jobs change, so must the skills of our workforce. East Allen County Schools
open up Southeast Allen County for growth. The Allen County-Fort Wayne Capital (EACS) is putting the resources in place to do just that. In addition to the traditional
Improvement Board has committed up to $1,000,000 to assist the city in land Core 40 graduation curriculum, the school system offers the Associated Builders
acquisition or extension of infrastructure, thereby enabling the city to secure a site and Contractors (ABC) Program, a national four-year trades apprenticeship.
for industrial development. Students enrolling in the nonunion ABC program for two years graduate from high
school with one year toward an apprenticeship. Students are also sent to Fort
Woodburn has worked with the Allen County Redevelopment Commission to create Wayne Community Schools Career Academy at Anthis for hands-on training in fields
a TIF district that will capture more than $60M in new industrial investment. It such as healthcare, cosmetology, police and fire and skilled trades. The difference
is upgrading its wastewater treatment plant to add additional capacity and has between Anthis and ABC is that ABC emphasizes starting an apprenticeship while
recently completed an industrial expansion feasibility study. The Allen County – Fort in high school. It also focuses on four core trades: plumbing, heating, HVAC, and
Wayne Capital Improvement Board has committed $500,000 toward the extension electrical.
of infrastructure or land acquisition for industrial site development.
East Allen University (EAU), EACS and Vincennes University also provide students
Grabill and Monroeville are both actively working to retain and attract industrial with the opportunity to achieve a minimum of a core 40 diploma and the chance
development. Both also have TIF districts. Monroeville is in the process of to earn an Associate’s degree while still in high school. At EAU, students earn up
preparing a shovel ready application to OCRA for two sites. Leo-Cedarville does not to 60 transferable college credits and are exposed to skills and careers of the 21st
desire industrial development, and Harlan and Hoagland both have limited capacity century at an early college academy.
for industrial growth.
The newly hired Executive Director of Career, Technical and Alternative Education is
working with the NewAllen Alliance, educators, industry, community stakeholders,
and higher education providers Ivy Tech and Vincennes to build additional programs
relevant to our local economy. Areas of focus include: Advanced Manufacturing,
Computer Science, Industrial Maintenance, Health Science, and Pharmacy Tech.
Within nearby Fort Wayne, colleges and universities such as Ivy Tech, Indiana Tech,
Purdue Fort Wayne, Indiana University Fort Wayne, and University of St. Francis
provide affordable higher education opportunities for students.

WOODBURN INDUSTRIAL GROWTH SITE

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