A new $100 million career and technical education campus has opened in Jasper, giving high schoolers from two school systems hands-on training in everything from diesel mechanics to cybersecurity. The Heman Drummond Center of Innovation can serve up to 2,100 students from the Walker County School System and the Jasper City School System, offering programs that range from welding and precision machining to health sciences and cosmetology.
According to Bham Now, the center serves students in grades 9 through 12 from the Walker County School System and the Jasper City School System. It was developed by the Walker Area Community Foundation and is named in honor of Drummond Company founder Heman Drummond. The facility sits at 3512 Industrial Drive in the Bevill Industrial Park, and its groundbreaking took place on May 19, 2025.
The campus provides education in advanced manufacturing, robotics, cybersecurity, cosmetology, health sciences and skilled trades, per the same report. Students can also earn industry-recognized credentials, take dual-enrollment courses, and take part in mentorships, internships and apprenticeships. The Walker Area Community Foundation describes the center as a facility that “equips high school students with the skills and certifications needed for today’s dynamic career pathways,” and says it “integrates cutting-edge technology, hands-on learning experiences, and industry partnerships.”
A Deep Bench of Career Pathways
Program offerings span automotive technology, diesel mechanics, collision repair, welding and precision machining, according to mountaineagle.com. Construction, health sciences, cosmetology and barbering round out another slate of courses, per Bham Now. Students can also pursue graphic design and media, pre-engineering and architecture, Jobs for Alabama’s Graduates, and cybertechnology.
Funding for the project came from a mix of public and private sources. The state of Alabama committed $25.85 million to the center, while the Walker Area Community Foundation, the Drummond family, Walker County Schools, Jasper City Schools, Bevill State Community College, industry partners, local government and economic-development organizations together provided $75 million, Bham Now reports.
Conflicting Figures on Cost and Size
Reports on the project's price tag have varied over time. A May 2025 article from al.com described it as an “$80 million job training facility,” while wvua23.com previously put the figure at $65 million. The most recent reporting from Bham Now places the total cost at approximately $100 million. State Sen. Matt Woods told Yellowhammer News that an additional state award brought total state funding secured by the delegation for the project to $25.85 million, after the Legislature previously appropriated $5 million, Woods announced another $8 million in August 2025, and the Legislature appropriated another $850,000 in 2026.
The building's size has also been reported differently. Al.com's May 2025 piece said the center would have “more than 200,000-square-feet” and would be able to serve about 2,100 high school students, while Yellowhammer News later described it as “more than 120,000-square-foot.” Al.com also reported at the time that, upon substantial completion, the Walker Area Community Foundation planned to transfer the facility to the Walker County School System, which would own and operate it.
Board Approval and a Pending Occupancy Certificate
The Walker County Board of Education formally approved the conveyance of the center from the Walker Area Community Foundation to the county school system on Oct. 26, per mountaineagle.com's report. The board's action was contingent on delivery of the deed, and it authorized Superintendent Dennis Willingham to officially execute the acceptance once that deed arrived. At the time, the center's opening was still pending a certificate of occupancy after last-minute inspections, and officials said they hoped classes could start at the center by mid-November.
Public Open House Set for Nov. 30
The center will host a community open house on Nov. 30 from 4 to 6 p.m., offering the public an opportunity to tour the building and see plans for career and technical education in Walker County, according to Bham Now. The event matches an open house and reception mentioned in mountaineagle.com's earlier report on the same Nov. 30 date and time window.
The Jasper project arrives as Alabama pushes a broader expansion of career-tech access statewide. Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter has said students in 80 of the state's 139 school systems currently have access to career and technical education, according to waff.com. That outlet also reported that DeKalb County plans a $40 million career-tech center in Rainsville to replace its 55-year-old facility, part of a broader $250 million statewide effort to expand career and technical education access across Alabama, with construction on the Rainsville center expected to begin this fall and take about two years to complete.
