HARRISBURG -- Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell announced Tuesday that state investments will help one of the largest providers of private post-secondary education in North America to expand its operations in Allegheny County, creating at least 600 jobs within three years.

Education Management Corp., or EDMC, will expand its headquarters in downtown Pittsburgh, expand its existing online higher education facility in Pittsburgh's Strip District and build a new data center in Allegheny County.

The $30 million project will also retain more than 2,500 existing positions.

"This project - and the large number of high-paying jobs it will bring - is great news for the Pittsburgh region, especially in this economy," said Rendell. "Despite the recession, there are still companies looking to set up, relocate or expand their operations, and we must use all the tools at our disposal to make sure they do so here in Pennsylvania."

EDMC has 93 locations in 28 states and Canada. EDMC, which has provided career-focused education for more than 40 years, employs approximately 20,000 full-time, part-time and adjunct faculty and staff. More than 136,000 students were enrolled this fall.

"EDMC is proud to open this next chapter in our rich history in southwestern Pennsylvania," said EDMC Chief Executive Officer Todd Nelson. "For the past four decades, we have grown to become one of the nation's premier providers of higher education - thanks in large part to the tremendous workforce in this region. I am pleased our growth can continue, spurring even more economic development and job creation here in Allegheny County."

The company's project was coordinated through the Governor's Action Team, economic development professionals who work directly with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in the state.

The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance helped EDMC obtain a $5.75 million funding offer from the commonwealth, which includes a $3 million opportunity grant, $1.25 million in infrastructure assistance, $300,000 in job training assistance, and $1.2 million in job creation tax credits.

Allegheny County provided EDMC with a separate $250,000 funding offer, including a $100,000 community development block grant and $150,000 in job training assistance.

---

• E-Mail Newsletter: Get The Latest News Sent To Your E-Mail!
• Mobile: Get WPXI Headlines On Your Phone, iPhone, More
• RSS: Add Us To Your Page!

---