ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) -- A representative from Ford Motor Co. spoke to the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce and local business leaders Wednesday to lay out more details on the company's planned $5.8 billion BlueOvalSK Battery Park.

The investment, announced in September, is aimed at opening a 1,500-acre campus near Interstate 65 in 2025. Ford said it will bring 5,000 new jobs to Hardin County. And those figures don’t include construction jobs or other economic impacts nor do they take into account other businesses that could locate nearby.

"We found the perfect site, but without the perfect workforce, the project falls apart," said Gabby Bruno, Ford's economic development and government relations director.

Gabby Bruno

Gabby Bruno, Ford's economic development and government relations director. April 13, 2022. (WDRB Photo)

On Wednesday, at the chamber of commerce's monthly membership luncheon, Bruno said the company plans to emphasize engagement with local businesses during construction.

“We know we have to prepare now,” Bruno said, adding that there are thoughts of recruiting the technical college workforce. “We’ll work hard to enrich and give back to the communities we’re becoming part of."

Ford selected the Glendale location in Hardin County for the battery plant based on the existing workforce, the financial standing of the area and the layout of the site itself. There is a state-funded training center and a strong technical college system to attract workers. And there are state partnerships and incentives as well as competitive property taxes and utility rates to make for a profitable plant for Ford.

Hardin County Chamber of Commerce Luncheon

Hardin County Chamber of Commerce's monthly membership luncheon. April 13, 2022. (WDRB Photo)

"The state and this region's commitment to workforce and technical education really became the final piece of the puzzle to tip the scales for choosing Kentucky, Hardin County and Glendale," Bruno said.

Richard Games, president of the Elizabethtown-Hardin County Industrial Foundation, said the community offers quality education and is ready to train the future work force with the thousands of jobs coming to town.

“It’s time to prepare for not only the BlueOval battery park itself but also the residents we will attract,” Games said.

Perhaps the most attractive workforce development program will sit in the backyard of the battery plant. Elizabethtown Community and Technical College has already partnered with Ford to establish a training program for students preparing to work in the plant.

"We have really drilled down in Etown at our campus here and we've got great staff, and they're excited about the opportunities to train our future leaders in these fields," Games said.

More opportunities and developments are likely to send Hardin County in an upward direction regarding its economy. Ford's leaders said the battery plant will allow for more factories and businesses to come to the region for support. And Hardin County's industrial leader said those discussions are already happening.

"You're going to see factories locate that not only would supply BlueOval SK but maybe some of the other battery manufacturers in the United States," Games said.

Kentucky is playing a key role in Ford’s electrification goal. Along with the upcoming BlueOval SK plant, the Louisville Ford Assembly Plant is manufacturing many of Ford’s existing hybrid vehicles.

“Ford is determined to lead the electronic revolution,” Bruno said.

Groundbreaking on the plant is expected sometime later this year.

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