Caterpillar on Tuesday announced the launch of its Building the Future Workforce Initiative in Arkansas. The initiative will allocate up to $3 million in-state to prepare Arkansas workers for jobs in modern manufacturing and industry technician roles.
Overall, the Irving, Texas-based company has committed $100 million for the program nationwide.
“Every community has the talent to build a strong manufacturing workforce. Investments like this can help create more opportunities for that talent to grow and succeed,” said Christy Pambianchi, Caterpillar’s chief human resources officer, in a statement. “Arkansas has exciting momentum within our industry, and this commitment will help build the training pathways and programs needed to prepare workers for the modern manufacturing careers that lie ahead.”
In 2010, Caterpillar opened a dedicated motor-grader plant in North Little Rock and later expanded it to add medium wheel loaders and paving products to its product line. Caterpillar employs more than 530 people in Arkansas and works with 60 suppliers across the state.
“You can’t build the industries of tomorrow without building the workforce to power them,” said Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “Caterpillar understands that the future of manufacturing depends on investing in people just as much as technology. By connecting training directly to the needs of employers, this initiative will give more Arkansans the skills to step into good-paying careers and give businesses another reason to invest, expand, and create jobs in our state.”
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