Eastern Gateway, Partners Get Training Grant
STEUBENVILLE, Ohio – Eastern Gateway Community College and three other educational partners will receive a $272,263 award Tuesday to promote training of oil and gas workers.
The four schools — Belmont College, Washington State Community College, Zane State College and Eastern Gateway — are the lead partners for the SE Ohio Oil & Gas Training Collaborative, which will provide a systematic approach to regional training for the energy industry.
The funds are from the Regionally Aligned Priorities in Delivering Skills – or Rapids – program. Rapids awards higher education institutions funds for education equipment, co-op programs and internship programs. The funds develop and support the institutions’ workforce development initiatives that focus on furthering economic growth.
Eastern Gateway will use the funds to purchase updated welding equipment for its Jefferson County campus to ensure that students are being trained in appropriate techniques for the oil and gas industry.
Officials said the colleges’ service areas have seen significant growth related to the oil and gas industry in recent years. As a result, the demand for skilled workers in the region continues to exceed supply. College leaders, industry partners, and economic development agencies are working together to develop strategies that will address the needs of the industry and the training required to produce a skilled workforce.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
