PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — Plans for a regional technical education center for southeast Kansas are progressing.

The Pittsburg Education Foundation on Thursday announced it bought a building to house the education center. The building currently houses Fort Scott Community College carpentry, masonry and woodworking courses.

The Joplin Globe reports  the foundation paid $890,000 for the building.

Several schools in southeast Kansas will use the Southeast Kansas Career Technical Education Center of Crawford County for training in such areas as careers as welding, construction, culinary arts, nursing and auto technician training.

A committee will now start working on plans for the building expansion and begin the bid process.

Plans for the center began about two years ago when industries and businesses complained about a lack of well-trained employees in the area.