Chilton County breaks ground on $40 million Innovation Center for career tech students
Photo from ABC 33/40 News
From ABC 33/40 News – June 29, 2026
CLANTON, Ala. (WBMA) — Shovels hit the dirt Monday on a project education leaders say will transform workforce development in Chilton County for generations.
The Chilton County School System officially broke ground on the new $40 million Chilton County Innovation Center, a career technical education campus that will serve students from all six county high schools.
Superintendent Corey Clements said the standalone facility will dramatically expand career training opportunities while strengthening the school system’s partnership with Jefferson State Community College.
“This is going to be a standalone career technical education center,” Clements said. “We’ll bring students from all six of our local high schools to this location all day long for 13 different courses in career technical education as a partnership between our school system and Jeff State Community College.”
The Innovation Center will replace the county’s existing career technical facility, which was built in the early 1960s and has outgrown its capacity.
“Our current career tech center only has a capacity of about 425,” Clements said. “We’re over 500 now with our enrollment, and we want to enroll up to 1,000 in our system.”
Clements said the expanded campus is about more than adding classroom space.
“This is huge for workforce development,” he said. “We want our graduates either on the college pathway through advanced placement and dual enrollment courses, or we want to prepare for a career in career technical education. Our goal is to place every student on a career pathway.”
The project is being built adjacent to Jefferson State Community College’s Clanton campus, allowing students to move easily between the Innovation Center and college facilities.
Jefferson State President Keith Brown said that proximity will create new opportunities for students to earn college credit while still in high school.
“I’m looking forward to having the opportunity where students can literally walk down the sidewalk and take advantage of dual enrollment opportunities at Jefferson State,” Brown said. “Our ultimate goal is to have students who complete their college degree or certificate before they complete their high school.”
Brown said Jefferson State donated the land for the project after nearly two years of planning with the school system.
The Innovation Center is expected to offer 13 career pathways while expanding access to dual enrollment opportunities in fields ranging from welding to healthcare and other workforce programs.