CACC pitches workforce partnership, $25 million center in Prattville

Central Alabama Community College used the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce’s July Chamber Luncheon to pitch employers on a bigger role in the River Region labor market, anchored by a planned $25 million Workforce Center near the Prattville campus. The luncheon was held Wednesday at Catfish House from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., putting CACC in front of business leaders who are looking for welders, industrial maintenance workers and other technical hires.

Brandy Mitchell, the college’s dean of academics and Prattville site coordinator, said the campus has expanded sharply since it opened in 2021. That growth traces back to October 2021, when Prattville and Autauga County approved a joint development agreement and initially committed $4 million for a permanent campus. CACC moved into its new Prattville location in January 2022 after purchasing the former East Memorial Baptist Church property, a 124-acre site with a 50,000-square-foot facility.

Enrollment has climbed 57% since 2020, while dual enrollment has risen 113% across its service area. In Autauga County, dual enrollment has more than doubled through partnerships with local school systems. A 2025 report put dual enrollment up more than 98% over four years across Autauga and Elmore counties, supported by Autauga County Schools and Elmore County Schools, and CACC has also extended the program to Prattville Christian Academy.

CACC has broadened its career and technical offerings in Prattville to include welding, industrial maintenance, business and computer information systems, with machining and industrial automation technology next in line. Industrial automation technology is already an active program at the college, and one of its newest efforts is an Earn and Learn apprenticeship model in that field, which lets students split time between class and work with local employers while earning a paycheck.

CACC launched its nursing apprenticeship program in August 2022. The college has described that effort as one of the largest in Alabama and a model for training workers while they are on the job. The Prattville campus has also been tied to national manufacturing competitions, research opportunities and study abroad programs as it expands its footprint in the county.

The next major piece is the Center of Excellence for Innovation and Technology, which CACC broke ground on June 25, 2025, at the Prattville campus. The project is a $5 million investment scheduled to open in 2026. County workforce materials also point to a new Alabama Career Center on the Prattville campus.