18TH DISTRICT

Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-18th, recently announced the awarding of $69,000 in competitive grants to local career and technical schools for the purchase of new equipment aligned to training students in high demand occupations.

Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, Lehigh County, was approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for seven grants totaling $50,000 to purchase equipment for its welding technology, institutional food worker and logistics, materials and supply chain management programs.

The Career Institute of Technology, Northampton County, was approved for three grants totaling $19,000 to purchase equipment for its welding technology and culinary arts programs.

Statewide, the Pennsylvania Department of Education awarded nearly $1.2 million in competitive grants to 38 career and technical centers and area vocational technical education schools.

The purpose of the grant program is to purchase equipment aligned with the needs of local employers for use in PDE approved career and technical education programs and to provide hands-on training to students in those programs, according to a media release.

The maximum grant allowed under the program is $50,000 and each grant must be matched dollar-for-dollar from a local source which could include local school funds or contributions from business and industry partners.