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MIDC reports business expansions, pushes PRIME manufacturing education program
Summary
MIDC executive director Casey Morales reported recent capital investments and workforce efforts: Bradbury expansion, a $14 million Westlake Pipe investment, and a PRIME high-school manufacturing education initiative seeking grants and industry commitments to close funding gaps.
Casey Morales, executive director of MIDC, briefed the commission on county economic metrics and workforce efforts and described multiple private investments and a proposed education pipeline to build local manufacturing talent.
"Unemployment is still super low," Casey told commissioners, and noted McPherson County continues to attract workers from surrounding counties. She highlighted the Bradbury expansion in Nandridge following a city property-tax abatement that is expected to create roughly 20 higher-paying jobs and a $14,000,000 expansion announced by Westlake Pipe supported by HPIP and PEAK incentives. Casey said MIDC has secured $250,000 in confirmed industry commitments toward PRIME (Partnership Response in Manufacturing Education), a program intended to be free for high schools and to begin at the freshman level. She said MIDC has an outstanding $200,000 grant request and will use local reserve funds as a backstop if needed.
Commissioners asked whether manufacturing hires would live in McPherson County; Casey said about 35% of the county’s workforce lives in-county, and that the program’s goal is to grow local talent so employers can hire locally. The commission welcomed the report; no formal action was required.
