Regional Workforce Training Center breaks ground on Jackson State campus 

Jackson State Community College (JSCC) held a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, November 19, 2025, for the future home of its $34.5 million Regional Workforce Training Center (RWTC) on its Jackson Campus. 

The presentation portion of the groundbreaking ceremony took place inside the Ayers Auditorium, located inside the Ned R. McWherter Center and featured JSCC President Dr. Carol A. Rothstein, Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Jackson President Dr. JacQuene Rainey, Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Flora Tydings, Greater Jackson Chamber President and CEO Kyle Spurgeon, and JSCC Student Levi Mason. 

“This building will be like no other in the country,” said Chancellor Tydings. “It is being designed [with students in mind], with what students do every single day, but it is also being designed to be flexible. Because we don’t know who all the companies that might locate in Jackson, Tennessee and we need to be able to change on a dime what we’re doing in this building to accommodate any new industry when it comes down the road. We’ll be able to do that. The building will be flexible. It will be a building that for the next 60 years we hope will be the pride of Jackson and will continue to bring students and companies into this area.” 

The groundbreaking portion of the ceremony featured photo opportunities of the speakers; local elected officials; members of the Greater Jackson Chamber Red Coats; representatives from A2H, GMC, and Montgomery-Martin, JSCC Students, and JSCC Employees. 

At the event, additional renderings of the RWTC were unveiled to the public, showcasing the building’s interior and exterior design and layout. Branded booklets showcasing the renderings along with additional project information were available to all those in attendance. 

About the project 

 Preparation and construction of the 67,800-square-foot facility will take place at the northwest corner of the JSCC Jackson campus in the early spring. The site was strategically selected to create a powerful impression at the corner of Dr. F.E. Wright Drive and North Parkway for those both attending and visiting the college. 

Featuring more than 33,000 square feet of instructional space, including the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Jackson Tool & Die program, the new facility will allow expansion of JSCC’s Engineering Systems Technology program to more than 130 students in less than five years across both night and day cohorts. This program is known for its nationally award-winning Advanced Maintenance Technician (AMT) Co-op that is embedded into program. 

The new facility will also allow the college’s Workforce Solutions division to expand its current on-ground training catalog by having dedicated classrooms and instructional space throughout the building to conduct workforce training for local and regional industry partners. 

More than 10,000 square feet of the facility will feature three leasable flex spaces ranging 3,000 +/- square feet each. Each bay will serve as a blank slate for local industry to lease and utilize for industrial equipment training, research and development, or whatever they so choose. The entire 10,000-square-foot section of the building features oversized bay doors, to allow for large industrial equipment to be moved throughout the facility to allow for adaptability of each space based on the functionality needed by each industry. 

With the community’s need for meeting and event space in mind, the new facility will feature a 3,609-square-foot flexible meeting space with floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the college’s award-winning campus. A prep kitchen will also accommodate the space, allowing for large corporate events, trainings, luncheons, and more. 

Funding for the RWTC was made possible by funding allocated in 2022 by the State of Tennessee as part of a long-standing proposal by the Greater Jackson Chamber. Jackson State Community College, a TBR institution commissioned by the State of Tennessee, was selected as the site for the RWTC due to its geographic location, educational impact, and established connection to industries across West Tennessee. 

Updates regarding the project will be available at jscc.edu/rwtc  

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