Pa. technical schools receive more than $1 million in grants

More than $1 million in grants were awarded Friday to dozens of career and technical centers (CTCs) and area vocational technical education schools across the state.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) approved nearly $1.2 million in competitive grants to 32 technology and vocational schools for equipment to help train students in high-demand occupations. The equipment is part of PDE-approved Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and to provide hands-on training to students in those programs.

The maximum grant allowed under the program was $50,000, and each grant had to be matched dollar-for-dollar from a local source, such as school funds or contributions from business and industry partners.

“Giving students the opportunity to engage in hands-on training on equipment that is consistent with industry use and standards is paramount in ensuring they are prepared upon graduation with the skills to step into the jobs that are driving the Pennsylvania economy,” said Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera. “These grants, with a local match, help institutions across the commonwealth to train their students for the jobs that exist in their local communities.”

The regional schools receiving grants through the program include:

• Berks County – Reading Muhlenberg CTC; $50,000.
• Dauphin County – Dauphin County Technical School; $37,050.
• Lehigh County – Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School; $41,199.
• Lehigh County – Lehigh Career & Technical Institute; $50,000.
• Montgomery County – North Montco Tech Career Center; $50,000.
• Northampton County – Career Institute of Technology; $13,000.
• Schuylkill County – Schuylkill Technology Centers; $47,734.
• York County – York County School of Technology; $50,000.

Officials said the number of career and technical education students earning industry-recognized credentials increased by 50.1 percent and the number of credentials earned by students enrolled in CTE programs has grown by 43.3 percent since 2014-15. There are currently more than 80 CTCs in Pennsylvania.

Gov. Tom Wolf‘s PAsmart initiative is investing $70 million over two years to expand science and technology education, apprenticeships and industry partnerships in schools, including $10 million for CTCs.

LCTI will use the funds to buy a new forklift for its supply chain logistics program and a lathe for its precision machine technology program, said Kurt Adam, director of career and technical education at LCTI.

“Both are replacements for equipment that is dated and worn,” Adam said. “The lathe is a good training tool for students and still used in industry. The forklift is again to better provide students with equipment they will use out there working in the logistics sector.”

LCTI applies for different state grants each year, he added.

For this competitive equipment grant, LCTI has to receive approval from the Lehigh Valley Workforce Investment Board. The WIB to has to sign off on LCTI’s application before they can apply, noting that the equipment will be used in high priority occupations in companies that are part of science, technology, math and engineering as well as manufacturing, he added.