NWACC awarded $100,000 grant from AEP Foundation

by Talk Business & Politics staff ([email protected]) 1,374 views 

NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) in Bentonville was recently awarded a $100,000 grant by the American Electric Power Foundation. The grant will support NWACC’s skilled trades workforce training, safety, resources and placement programs.

“This generous grant from the AEP Foundation will greatly enhance our ability to create opportunities for safe, well-trained workers to enter skilled trades,” NWACC President Dr. Evelyn Jorgenson said in a statement. “It will provide equipment for our Apprenticeship and Construction Technology programs, specifically in surveying, specialized metalworking, carpentry and prototyping. And it will provide scholarships and crucial OSHA safety training at no cost to students.”

The foundation is the charitable arm of electric utility American Electric Power (AEP). AEP is the Ohio-based parent company of Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO), which serves approximately 120,000 customers in Arkansas.

“NWACC is making a real difference with its workforce training programs, which is a vital need as our region continues to experience tremendous economic growth. We are excited to present this grant to NWACC on behalf of the American Electric Power Foundation,” said Jeff Milford, SWEPCO external affairs manager in Fayetteville.