MCCTC Receives $285K in Federal Funding for Workforce Training Center

CANFIELD, Ohio – The Mahoning County Career & Technical Center has received $285,000 in federal funding for its Innovative Energy and Technology Workforce Training Center.

The funding was appropriated through the $1.7 trillion federal spending bill passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in December 2022.

“This is an effective use of taxpayer funding, as it will be used for specialized instructor training, staffing/operations and training equipment costs related to the Innovative Energy and Technology Workforce Training Center project,” said U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson of Marietta, D-6th. “This new state-of-the-art facility will focus on providing specialized upskill and job re-entry training for underemployed adult residents in the region. Importantly, this project will include and develop the local STEM talent pipeline by incorporating traditional high school students.”

MCCTC board members, state and local legislators and community representatives broke ground on the new $1.1 million training center in October 2022. The federal funding will be used for specialized instructor training, purchase of state-of-the-art equipment and adaptive technology and targeted staffing costs associated with the training activities and operation of the center. 

Other investments in the center include $250,000 through the Ohio Capital Budget in partnership with the Mahoning Valley’s state legislative delegation, $218,000 from the Mahoning County commissioners and at least $230,000 in local committed or secured funding and in-kind resources. 

“Strengthening our economy starts in our career and technical centers,” said U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. “We unleash more American innovation when everyone is able to participate and we nurture all Ohio talent. We know Ohio workers can compete with anyone in the world, and this will allow more workers in Mahoning County to build careers in good-paying jobs.” 

When completed this fall, the center will offer training and education related to renewable or sustainable energy and power generation, traditional electrical grid maintenance and repair, electric and smart home or vehicle components and technologies and other advanced technology systems designed to prepare the existing and future workforce for in-demand careers in related sectors. 

“The MCCTC is lucky to have federal legislators like Congressman Bill Johnson and Sen. Sherrod Brown and their willingness to work across the aisle to support our workforce,” MCCTC Superintendent John Zehentbauer said. “Our training programs are a direct pipeline into the workforce, and we are so grateful for Congressman Johnson’s work in securing these resources to prepare our students for the jobs in Voltage Valley.”

Pictured at top: An artist’s rendering of the Innovative Energy and Technology Workforce Training Center.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.