The Berks Career and Technology Center and the Reading-Muhlenberg Career and Technology Center are among 39 career and technology centers and three school districts across Pennsylvania to share in nearly $1.5 million in recently announced state grants.
The Berks and Reading-Muhlenberg centers each received the maximum grant of $50,000. The grants must be matched dollar-for-dollar by a local source.
The money is being provided through the state Department of Education’s Career and Technical Education Equipment Grant program. Is it intended to allow schools to buy new equipment to help train students for high-demand jobs.
“There is an incredible number of job openings for skilled workers in communities throughout Pennsylvania,” Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement announcing the grants. “This equipment will allow young people to get the hands-on training they need for those good jobs that pay family-sustaining wages. I am committed to making job training available so people can get the latest skills to succeed and fill the jobs with employers across the state.”
State Secretary of Education Noe Ortega said the grant funding is in line with his goal of creating multiple pathways for Pennsylvania students to find success.
“Pennsylvania’s career and technical education programs provide students with the skills and training they need to enter into a meaningful, family-sustaining career after graduation, and these grants expand and improve the access students have to first-class equipment and experiences,” he said. “This funding builds on the commitment the Wolf Administration has demonstrated to career and technical education programs and the multiple pathways to success that they create for learners across the commonwealth.”
A complete list of grant recipients can be found on the Department of Education website at education.pa.gov.
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