CREST Center Breaks Ground at Arkansas State

Construction has started on the first phase of a Jonesboro workforce training center that brings together three regional higher-education institutions.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Jobs — General

Bold vector editorial illustration of a partially framed steel structure rising from a cleared earthwork pit beside a yellow excavator arm and stacked construction beams under an open sky. — Construction began on the first phase of Arkansas State University's CREST workforce training center in Jonesboro, backed by a $500,000 donation from Hytrol Conveyor Company. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Construction began on the first phase of the CREST Center on the Arkansas State University campus in Jonesboro. Hytrol Conveyor Company donated $500,000 toward the project.

Why it matters

CREST is designed to bring employers to the table to identify current and future workforce skill needs in the Jonesboro area. The partnership ties Arkansas State University, ASU-Newport and Arkansas Northeastern College together around a shared training mission.

The first phase of CREST carries an estimated $18 million cost, with a $7.5 million state HIRED grant and a $500,000 donation from Hytrol Conveyor Company among the funding sources. The announcement does not specify how the balance of the budget is being covered.

The players

Arkansas State University

Arkansas State University is a public research university in Jonesboro and one of three institutions partnering on the CREST Center.

Hytrol Conveyor Company

Hytrol Conveyor Company is an industrial materials-handling manufacturer that donated $500,000 toward the CREST project.

The details

Community members, industry partners and educational leaders gathered for a construction celebration marking the start of the project. Craighead County, Jonesboro Unlimited, the Workforce Training Consortium and Hytrol are also providing funding and partnership support.

Construction on the first phase of the CREST Center began with the November 2, 2026 groundbreaking.
The first phase is slated for completion in spring 2027.

Workforce Pipeline

The $7.5 million grant from the Arkansas Department of Commerce HIRED program places CREST inside the state's existing workforce-development funding framework. The project extends that framework by pairing grant money with direct employer input on skill needs.

Residents seeking training in in-demand skills may find new pathways once the first phase opens in spring 2027. Employers in the region gain a direct channel to shape what those programs teach.

The takeaway

Regional workforce programs work best when employers help define the skills being taught. CREST's model of bringing industry and schools to the same table is a practical template for other communities.