A new workforce training center is in the works to support a major economic development project in Ascension Parish: a $5.8 billion Hyundai steel plant that is expected to create 1,400 new jobs. The Louisiana Community and Technical College System, in partnership with River Parishes Community Colle ge, will develop the center to prepare local workers for positions at the massive facility. The plant will be built on a 1,700-acre site in the RiverPlex MegaPark near Donaldsonville, with construction set to begin in the third quarter of 2026. The project was officially announced in a Monday afternoon White House press conference with Gov. Jeff Landry and President Donald Trump. Though media reports on the deal surfaced in January, it had not been publicly confirmed by officials until now. South Korean automaker Hyundai will operate the facility, which will produce 2.7 million metric tons of “low-carbon” steel annually. The steel will supply Hyundai’s U.S. electric vehicle assembly plants—as well as other automakers. Hyundai currently operates assembly plants in Alabama and Georgia, and a second Georgia plant is planned. “This investment is a clear demonstration that tariffs strongly work. … There are no tariffs if you make your cars in America,” Trump said. To support the new plant, Hyundai plans to import 3.6 million tons of iron ore annually and will partner with the Port of South Louisiana to build a deepwater dock in Ascension Parish to handle shipments. The state offered Hyundai a “competitive” incentives package to secure the project, according to Louisiana Economic Development. That package includes a $100 million performance-based grant for infrastructure improvements, and Hyundai is also expected to participate in Louisiana’s Quality Jobs program. Landry emphasized that Louisiana’s pro-business environment helped land the deal—and credited Trump for creating the conditions that made it all possible. “This is America seeing the America First policy in action,” Landry said. “It’s not just promises. It’s about action.” And while the project will still need to secure necessary permits before moving forward, Trump assured Landry that he would have no issue doing so. “If you have any trouble getting permits, come see me,” Trump told Landry. “You won’t have any trouble.” The new plant is part of a broader $21 billion investment that Hyundai plans to make in the U.S. over the next four years, according to company chairman Euisun Chung. Hyundai is the world’s third-largest automaker. The deal likely took shape during a state economic development mission to South Korea in October, during which Landry and other state officials met with Hyundai leadership. Take Our Poll ...read more read less