The grant will go toward furniture and equipment for the Career & Technical Education (CTE) Training Complex on the college’s Laurel Campus.
Somerset Community College has received a $6 million Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) grant. The grant program was established in 2016 by Congressman Harold Rogers to help usher in the revitalization of former coal mining states after the industry tanked. The grant comes via the Kentucky Division of Abandoned Mine Lands and the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
According to an article on Somerset Community College’s website, Dr. Carey Castle, the president of the college, was quoted as saying of the grant award, “We are deeply grateful to Congressman Rogers, Senator Mitch McConnell and Governor Beshear for their support in awarding Somerset Community College the AMLER grant. This funding allows us to enhance our programs with state-of-the-art equipment and furnishings for the new Technology Building set to break ground next year at our Laurel Campus in London. Our vision is for this facility to serve as a hub for business and industry in Southeast Kentucky, preparing future employees with training that not only meets but exceeds industry expectations. The new Technical Building will bring a new look to the historical Interstate Coal Company and a new pathway for the students and communities in our region.”
The new Career & Technical Education (CTE) Training Complex will be located on the college’s Laurel Campus and is set to open in 2027 after construction takes place in 2026. The Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization grant will fund phase four of the project, which will cost a total of $39 million. The AMLER grant will provide $6 million, which will be used to furnish and equip the CTE Training Complex with items and machines needed to train for current trade careers, such as robotic welders, programmable logic controller (PLC) trainers, plasma cutting systems, mini excavators, diesel and automotive engine dynos, and HVAC trainers, among others.
The new building will house Advanced Manufacturing, Industrial Maintenance Technology, Construction Technology, HVAC/Air Conditioning, Welding Technology, Automotive Technology, Diesel Technology, and Electrical/Electronic Technology training programs.
Somerset Community College’s Laurel Campus sits on land that was owned by the Interstate Coal Company.
For more information about Somerset Community College, visit the school’s website.