MONTGOMERY— The Decatur-Morgan County Entrepreneurial Center will expand its abilities to offer training and education via videoconferencing with the help of a $29,700 grant announced by Gov. Robert Bentley.
The Appalachian Regional Commission grant will help the center to add a new digital training room where local schools, colleges, entrepreneurs and businesses can access distance-learning opportunities and conduct videoconference meetings.
“The ability to hold meetings and participate in workshops via videoconference can save businesses and schools substantial time and money,” Bentley said. “This grant will expand opportunities for high-tech video training and give local teachers and businesses a valuable resource.”
The room will include flat-panel video monitors, a projector and speaker system that connect with computers and telecommunication equipment. The training room also will be equipped to enable businesses to conduct corporate training sessions from the room to locations worldwide. Matching funds of $29,700 will supplement the grant.
Congress established the Appalachian Regional Commission in 1965 as a supplemental grant program to raise the standard of living, improve the quality of life and promote economic development in the Appalachian mountain region. The region includes 37 Alabama counties.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs manages the ARC program in Alabama. ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, workforce development, recreation, energy conservation and water resource management.
