Western Piedmont Community College receives grant to boost heavy equipment training program

BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — Western Piedmont Community College in Burke County has been awarded nearly $480,000 to expand its heavy equipment operations training program.

The Morganton Herald reported the funding is part of a larger $8.4 million grant package from the Golden LEAF Foundation, aimed at supporting long-term economic advancement across North Carolina.

The Golden LEAF Foundation’s recent funding initiative includes $2.7 million allocated to seven projects through the Open Grants Program, which supports workforce training and economic investment projects in several counties, including Burke.

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Western Piedmont Community College plans to use the grant to acquire more industry equipment and increase student capacity and certification opportunities.

Golden LEAF also provided $1 million for a SITE Program project and $1 million for a project at East Carolina University.

Additionally, the foundation has committed $220,000 for Hurricane Helene relief and $502,411 for flood mitigation efforts.

The Golden LEAF Foundation was established in 1999 to manage a portion of North Carolina’s funds from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers, focusing on increasing economic opportunities in rural and tobacco-dependent communities.

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