House Armed Services Chair and Westerman Tour Highland Industrial Park to Assess Workforce Readiness
U.S. Representative Bruce Westerman, alongside House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, visited Highland Industrial Park in East Camden, Arkansas. The visit aimed to evaluate workforce readiness amidst significant job growth and plant expansion in the park, which hosts numerous aerospace and defense manufacturers. Westerman expressed confidence in the local workforce's quality, noting that Southern Arkansas University and SAU Tech have developed programs to train employees for new jobs in engineering, manufacturing, aerospace, energy, and construction. The visit also highlighted the federal government's interest in supporting the region's economic development, with Westerman filing a $9.8 million appropriations request for upgrades to the Port of Pine Bluff.