Rep. Ragan announces $600K to expand broadband, digital skills in Anderson County
State Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge, recently announced that $612,916 in grant funding has been awarded to expand broadband opportunity and digital skills and workforce development in Anderson County.
The county will receive two separate grants as part of $162.7 million in overall funding administered by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD). The investments will provide broadband access and digital opportunity programs to more than 236,000 Tennesseans across 92 counties.
“Broadband access is more important than ever and this funding will go a long way in ensuring all Anderson County residents are fully connected,” Ragan is quoted as saying in a news release. “These grants will help expand access and allow Tennesseans to acquire the digital skills necessary to succeed in today’s workforce. I thank all of the parties involved for their hard work in securing and allocating these important investments.
Local grant recipients include:
Anderson County: $100,000 to promote high-paying jobs and promote broadband opportunitythrough the Broadband Ready Communities program. Broadband Ready Communities grants support community-based digital skills training, public Wi-Fi projects, distribution of free or low-cost devices and marketing for low-cost internet plans.
University of Tennessee: $512,916 to advance digital skills and workforce development byserving part of Anderson County and several other counties through the Digital Skills, Educationand Workforce (DSEW) program.
This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Ragan: $600K to expand broadband, digital skills in Anderson County
