Grant facilitates the completion of The BEAT Center in Fort Payne

TARCOG was proud to be in attendance as Gov. Kay Ivey visited Fort Payne City Schools on Monday, April 8, for the ribbon cutting at the new BEAT Center, a STEM-focused vocational building to provide students with career specific training in three pathways: construction, electric vehicles, and aviation/drone technology

“Fort Payne Schools are trendsetters for career ready education integrated in the local curriculum … so that students have a job by the time they earn their high school diploma,” the governor said. “The range and depth of career tech instruction already offered in the Fort Payne system is quite frankly unrivaled for a system of this size.”

Ivey authorized $1 million in funding through the Appalachian Regional Commission Southern Appalachian Automotive Worker grant for the BEAT Center. TARCOG assisted with the grant application process and post award grant administration.

This morning, a standing room only crowd of public officials, community partners and educators packed the vocational center’s Aviation Technology Room to celebrate the new facility, which fits right in with the governor’s vision for Alabama.

“Since I’ve been governor, we’ve seen business investments of $49 billion, that’s with a B, and we’ve created some 87,000 new jobs,” Ivey said. “We’ve got the momentum, and thanks to vision of Fort Payne School leaders, backed by state and local funding, we are preparing for the Alabama workforce and the economy of the tomorrow, one student at a time.”

The Building, Electric, and Aviation Technology (BEAT) Center will consist of one classroom setting with three simulated workplace bays to house the Building/Construction, Electric Automotive, and Aviation Technology programs. Innovative simulated curriculum programs will be used in each vocational career pathway ensuring that students graduating from each program will be credentialed and capable of being employed in their chosen field.

After the ceremony, Lee Terry, director of TARCOG’s Economic Development and Planning said TARCOG is proud to see the completion of such a wonderful project for Fort Payne City Schools and the students who will benefit from the high quality educational opportunities offered by the BEAT Center.

“We are always happy to assist our member governments with such meaningful projects that will have a lasting impact on our communities,” Terry said.