The DRIVE Coalition
The DRIVE Coalition assembles nearly every heavy hitter and promising upstart in Alabama’s nascent vehicle electrification industry. Our partners come from the public and private sectors, from education and industry, from research and practice"—"all with the shared mission to revitalize Alabama’s rural economies by providing free and low-cost technical training and creating well-paying jobs.
Led by the University of Alabama’s Education Policy Center, the coalition also includes West AlabamaWorks (the regional workforce development board); multiple school districts and community colleges, including Shelton State Community College; the Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority; and the University of Alabama College of Engineering Best put by the Brookings Institutes feature on DRIVE: "The DRIVE coalition illustrates this evolution to broader, multisystem talent development strategies." "DRIVE focuses on the largely rural “wider West Alabama” region and builds on its education and industrial assets. the DRIVE proposal stands out for its willingness to engage with “wicked problems” such as low high school graduation rates and weak connections with the labor market—issues that are crucial to achieving inclusive prosperity. Time will tell if this approach is a blip or a trend." Find Brookings full story on DRIVE here, and for more information on DRIVE, the Building Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC), and more visit our DRIVE page. |
Above is DRIVEs Finalist Showcase for the BBBRC, featured on the EDAs BBBRC Finalist page