State Rep. Pat Marsh, R-Shelbyville, and State Sen. Shane Reeves, R-Murfreesboro, have secured $42.4 million in state funding for the construction of the Bedford County Higher Education Center in Shelbyville.
The center will include a new, state-of-the-art Tennessee College for Applied Technology (TCAT) twice the size of the current facility with 125,000 total square feet on 20 acres at the 231 North Business Park in Shelbyville.
The center will meet the increasing need for vocational and nontraditional education and will help grow the next generation of Tennessee’s workforce.
“This is a game-changer for Bedford County,” Marsh said. “Southern Middle Tennessee is perfectly positioned for economic growth and development. This facility will be a top-tier education center that will bring projects that attract higher-paying jobs and that means a better quality of life for our citizens.”
This investment is part of a legislative initiative by the Tennessee General Assembly and Gov. Bill Lee to better prepare a highly-skilled workforce by enhancing vocational training programs across the state.
“Bedford County will receive a tremendous boost to the local economy and workforce through this new education facility,” said Reeves. “It will provide high-demand job skills training that will result in good-paying jobs for individuals and families. Rep. Marsh and I are glad to support this project and look forward to its completion.”
The appropriated funds are part of a $42.6 billion balanced budget passed by the Tennessee General Assembly that cuts taxes and provides significant investments in education, health care, and economic development.
