Caterpillar Inc. announced that will invest up to $3 million in Arkansas to prepare the state's workers for jobs in modern manufacturing and industry technician roles. The development aligns with the company's five-year, $100 million Building the Future Workforce Initiative.
Caterpillar identified Arkansas as a growth opportunity, noting that it employs more than 530 people and works with 60 suppliers across the state. The company opened its North Little Rock facility in 2010 as a dedicated motor grader plant and later expanded it to add medium wheel loader and paving products.
“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,” Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.
The initiative seeks to expand hands-on manufacturing pathways for students, increase technical training capacity across the region and deepen employer engagement through collaborations with organizations, including the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College, Little Rock Regional Chamber and Academies of Central Arkansas.
The announcement marks the fifth allocation for Caterpillar's initiative, which includes launches in Indiana, Texas and Illinois and an innovation challenge.
