Valley Schools Get $5.7M for Career Technical Programs

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The state is sending $5.7 million to the Mahoning Valley to help expand career technical education.

The Career Technical Education Equipment Grant Program awarded $2.5 million to the Trumbull Career & Technical Center.

TCTC will use the funds to launch a new Industrial Technology program. The need for the program has been identified through planning discussions with students, local businesses and the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition, the school said in a news release. The grant will allow TCTC to build a new space with state-of-the-art equipment, and incoming students will receive experience in electrical, mechanical, fluid power and automation.

The program will partner with local businesses and emphasize an understanding of advanced manufacturing processes and troubleshooting. TCTC will include equipment and coursework relevant to electric vehicles to expand the program with a second teacher in year two, the release states. 

“MVMC and our many partners agree that this program will fill a need in the local industry,” said Paula Baco, high school director. “Rather than focusing on one aspect of advanced manufacturing, we will provide students with a solid foundation in the manufacturing process in their junior year and the ability to choose a focus in machining/programming, automation/robotics or maintenance for their senior year.”

Along with the Industrial Technology program, TCTC will launch two other programs next school year, including an Aviation & Drone Technology program and a Digital Marketing & Management program. The Aviation & Drone Technology program is launching in collaboration with the Trumbull County Educational Service Center and a federal grant that was awarded to the ESC.

The Career Technical Education Equipment Grant Program also awarded $1,456,453 to the Columbiana County Career and Technical Center, $950,746 to Austintown Local Schools and $832,470 to West Branch Local Schools.

The grant funding will help schools purchase up-to-date equipment so they can better prepare students to be career-ready upon graduation.

“Investing in our schools is an investment into our students’ futures,” Gov. Mike DeWine said. “Allowing more schools to purchase equipment so they can train more students will set them and our state up for success.”

Through the grant program, 56 schools in the state will receive grants totaling more than $67.7 million, expanding career technical education access to an additional 10,345 Ohio students. Recipients will use the funding to purchase new equipment for career technical and compact schools across the state for various programs, including engineering, manufacturing, health sciences, construction and more.

“New technologies are transforming the economy, and to prepare students for those careers, we need to invest in the machinery, technologies and training that educators need to prepare students for the growing number of careers in the Ohio economy,” Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said. “Through these investments, thousands more students will graduate high school career-ready – prepared for careers without college debt and providing Ohio employers with the talent they need to compete globally.”

The second round of the program will open later this spring. Schools can apply HERE.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.