Grants awarded

Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-18th, recently announced the awarding of $104,999 in competitive grants to local career and technical schools for the purchase of new equipment aligned to training students in high-demand occupations.

“I am pleased that the commonwealth is being proactive in assisting our career and technical schools across the state to aid them in preparing our students for high demand occupations,” Boscola stated. “These grants will allow our local career and technical schools to purchase needed equipment that will train our students for jobs that employers are seeking.”

The following grants were approved for equipment purchases to local schools:

• Lehigh Career and Technical Institute: $50,000

• Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School: $41,999

• Career Institute of Technology: $13,000

Statewide, the Pennsylvania Department of Education awarded nearly $1.2 million in competitive grants to 32 career and technical centers and area vocational technical education schools for the purchase of new equipment aligned to training students in high demand occupations.

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.

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.