Construction on the Career Readiness Education and Skills Training (CREST) Center is officially underway in Jonesboro, with Arkansas State University (A-State) spearheading the $17 million project as part of a regional workforce development initiative. A-State has partnered with Arkansas State University-Newport and Arkansas Northeastern College (ANC) in Blytheville to deliver advanced training in critical fields.
Community and education leaders will host a construction ceremony on Friday, October 16, at 8 a.m. at the site located at 201 Longhorn Drive, near A-State’s Judd Hill Farmers’ Market. Organizers are advising attendees to use the Red Wolf Boulevard entrance to avoid potential traffic congestion in the area.
“This event marks the beginning of an investment that extends beyond a new building,” said A-State System President Todd Shields. “CREST will prepare Arkansans with the skills employers need today while creating pathways to rewarding careers that strengthen families, businesses, and local economies across our region.”
The CREST Center is being funded primarily through a $7.5 million grant from the Arkansas Department of Commerce’s Higher Industry Readiness through Educational Development (HIRED) program. Additional funding and support are being provided by partners such as Craighead County, Jonesboro Unlimited, the Workforce Training Consortium, and Hytrol Conveyor Co.
“CREST is designed to equip current and future workers with industry-aligned skills needed to succeed in Northeast Arkansas’ fastest-growing sectors while helping regional employers meet workforce demands,” said A-State Chancellor Calvin White Jr.
The initial phase of the project prioritizes training in steel technology, industrial controls, and advanced manufacturing. It will include opportunities to earn technical certificates, certificates of proficiency, and associate’s degrees through programs delivered in collaboration with ASU-Newport and ANC.
The 26,000-square-foot phase one building is set to feature classrooms, a computer lab, a manufacturing high-bay lab, and workforce training labs for advanced manufacturing, automation, and industrial technologies. Additional spaces dedicated to collaboration, community meetings, and student services will also be included. Construction for phase one is expected to be completed in the spring of 2027, with classes in the new facility starting that fall. Some courses are already being held at the Workforce Training Center in the Jonesboro Industrial Park and on A-State’s main campus.
Robin Myers, the project lead and former chancellor at ASU-Mountain Home, emphasized that CREST’s design will help workers and businesses evolve with changing industry needs. “CREST will unite workforce training in the region and specialize in AI-enhanced advanced manufacturing, food processing, and steel production. CREST will offer ‘stackable’ credentials in a flexible format serving the current and future workforce,” Myers said.
Future phases include developing spaces for applied bachelor’s degrees in food science, engineering technology, and technical studies, as well as facilities to support advanced steel research led by A-State’s Center for Advanced Materials and Steel Manufacturing.
Andrea Allen, director of the Delta Center for Economic Development at A-State, described the CREST Center as a critical economic driver for Northeast Arkansas. “The CREST Center will be a catalyst for economic growth because it connects people to high-demand careers, supplies employers with skilled talent, and positions the region to compete for jobs and investment in the industries of the future,” Allen said.
By addressing the growing need for skilled labor, Allen added, CREST aims to attract new business investments and expand existing operations in the fields of advanced manufacturing, food processing, and steel production.