OXFORD, Ala. (WHNT) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey joined state leaders at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Oxford on Monday.
The CREATE Technology and Innovation Center hopes to widen career pathways for students and adults.
CREATE stands for the Choccolocco Research, Education, Arts, and Technology Experience.
Whether it’s manufacturing or coding, CREATE is opening up doors for students. Ivey said these fields and others are keeping Alabama’s economy strong.
“Look, I won’t claim to be an expert in these fields, but I will tell you this,” Ivey said. “I understand that the careers in trades are high wage and high demand.”
Lorie Denton, director of CREATE, said it will hold classes in other high-demand fields like criminal justice and aviation by 2026. There are 300 students from Oxford High School who currently attend, but adults can take classes, too.
“We just believe that if we are offering something to allow an adult to upskill, that provides a better Christmas morning for their families at home,” Denton said. “These are opportunities that they may not have otherwise.”
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) said these opportunities are only made possible through collaboration.
“I know this is going to be a tremendous success for the community,” Rogers said. “I just urge everybody to recognize this is the way to do it. And after this program, let’s use the same kind of secret sauce for the next program.”
State Sen. Keith Kelley (R-Anniston) said the facility will have a far-reaching impact on Alabama.
“One of the big things is in the construction industry, and that’s one of the things that’s taught here,” Kelley said. “And you will have skilled workers that can go automatically from high school in and know what they’re doing. [It] cuts that training time down, and so I think that’ll have a major impact on the state.”
Denton said students must not just understand career opportunities that are available but have the skills necessary to go straight to work or continue their education.
