Career Center in Paris Earns Innovation Award

Tyson Foods Logan County Career Center has been named a 2018 National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) Innovation Award winner for its regional approach to economic development.

The career center is located in Paris and is a joint venture between Tyson Foods, Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus, Arkansas Tech Career Center, Paris Public Schools, Paris community industry and the City of Paris. Western Arkansas Planning and Development District was also instrumental in securing outside resources. The project garnered support from Gov. Asa Hutchinson and members of the Arkansas Legislature as a model of providing rural access to workforce training.

The center currently houses training in pre-allied health and automation technology courses. It also houses the adult education classes for northern Logan County.

In 2019, ATU-Ozark plans to increase the center’s offerings into entry level machinist training as well as pre-apprenticeship offerings in manufacturing.

The Tyson Foods Logan County Career Center will be recognized during a special reception at a NADO conference Oct. 13-16 in Charlotte, N.C. Western Arkansas Planning and Development District will accept the award on behalf of all the partners that contributed to the project.