Caterpillar to Invest Millions in Future Workforce Training in Indiana
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Caterpillar is adding on to their investments in the Hoosier State.
Indiana is one of the first states to be receiving $5 million from Caterpillar for training initiatives as part of their five-year, $100 million workforce development pledge.
Last year, Caterpillar committed $725 million to expanding its large engine facility in Lafayette in order to meet the global construction and energy demand driven by AI and data centers.
“The future workforce will need skills for what comes next,” said Caterpillar Chief Human Resources Officer Christy Pambianchi. “We have our experts working on innovative training and resources to help skill and inform the next generation on how to navigate the worksite of tomorrow, and we’re excited to be starting here in Indiana to enable U.S. workers to enter high-quality jobs in the American manufacturing industry.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun toured Caterpillar’s Lafayette Large Engine Center on Tuesday to check out the company’s expansion project. The governor said Caterpillar’s investment shows what type of training investments he wants to see through the state government’s Power Up Indiana incentive program.
“You’ve got to have a skilled workforce and you’ve got to have affordable housing so all of those elements go together,” Gov. Braun said. “We’re going to try to do things like Power Up to make it easier for companies who are risking capital, reinvesting, we want to make sure all the elements are there.”
Caterpillar employs over 51,000 people in the U.S. and has increased exports by 75% since 2016. There are more than 4,100 Cat workers at 12 different sites in Indiana.
