First-ever funding round for the PennDOT Career and Technical Education Grant Program supports programs at 27 institutions in 21 counties, creating more pathways to opportunity and good-paying jobs for all Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth.
Funding builds on Governor Shapiro’s Executive Order creating Commonwealth Workforce Transformation Program to ensure Pennsylvania has a strong, robust workforce to fill critical jobs..
Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation (PennDOT) and Education (PDE) announced that they will invest nearly $12 million in 27 Pennsylvania educational institutions in 21 counties through the first round of funding for the PennDOT Career and Technical Education grant program.
The new competitive grant program supports career pathway education, technical training, industry certification, and on-the-job learning in the highway industry for middle, high school, and college students. Eligible educational institutions will be able to use this funding to expand or create new education programs geared toward many skilled jobs in this industry such as construction inspector, mechanic, laborer, electrician, stonemason, welder, painter, cost estimator, and surveyor.
“These grants will help schools start or expand programs to expose students to the trades that will continue building Pennsylvania,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “We’re proud to support the important work that Pennsylvania’s educational institutions do every day to prepare the next generation for whatever career path they choose.”
The grant program was developed following Governor Josh Shapiro’s July 2023 executive order that created the Commonwealth Workforce Transformation Program (CWTP), a first-in-the-nation job training program that provides workforce development investments to ensure companies, contractors, unions, and others who are working to build Pennsylvania’s infrastructure have the skilled workforce they need.
“Career and technical education programs are preparing learners to fill critical workforce gaps in Pennsylvania,” said PDE Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe. “These investments will help to uplift schools across the Commonwealth, in turn helping students prepare for in-demand jobs in Pennsylvania’s highway industry.”
The program is one of the many ways the Shapiro Administration is investing in Pennsylvania workers, addressing workforce shortages across industries with real solutions, and empowering Pennsylvanians to chart their own course and access the training they need to succeed.
Below is a list of grant awards by county:
Allegheny County
- Community College of Allegheny County: $280,850 to expand its existing Commercial Driver’s License Class A and Class B programs.
- Carlow University: $500,000 to implement a new Heavy Highway Industry workforce training initiative consisting of two complementary pathways: a Construction Inspector Certificate and a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Heavy Highway Project Management.
- Parkway West Career and Technology Center: $500,000 to develop a Heavy Highway Construction Inspector Training Program.
- Penn Hills School District: $352,500 to implement a new Carpentry & Construction Career Pathway at Penn Hills High School.
Armstrong County
- Lenape Technical School: $402,000 to expand its existing Construction Trades program by adding PennDOT's Transportation Construction Inspection Certification Program as a dedicated Heavy Highway Industry pathway.
Bucks County
- Bucks County Technical High School: $500,000 to implement a new four-year Heavy Highway Welding and Infrastructure Career Pathway.
Clarion County
- Clarion County Career Center: $500,000 to expand and enhance its existing Construction Trades, Diesel Technology, Welding, and Cooperative Education programs through integrating heavy highway industry curriculum.
Dauphin County
- Steelton-Highspire School District: $500,000 to implement a new Heavy Highway Industry Career Pathways program.
Fayette County
- Connellsville Area Career and Technical Center: $500,000 to expand its established Heavy Equipment program into a comprehensive Heavy Highway Industry (HHI) Career Pathway.
Franklin County
- Franklin County Career and Technology Center: $500,000 to develop a new Heavy Equipment Operator & Maintenance program.
Lackawanna County
- O.S. Johnson Technical Institute: $302,000 to implement a new Transportation Construction Inspection continuing education program and enhance hands-on training in Diesel Truck Technology and planned Heavy Equipment track.
Lancaster County
- Lancaster County Career and Technology Center: $491,100 to expand its Heavy Equipment and Diesel Equipment program to include Commercial Driver's License and PennDOT's Construction Inspection Certification program.
Lehigh County
- Lehigh Career and Technical Institute: $500,000 to expand its Heavy Equipment Operations & Preventative Maintenance program with a Heavy Highway Industry pathway.
Lycoming County
- Pennsylvania College of Technology: $483,100 to expand existing Commercial Driver's License preparation curriculum into a comprehensive CDL training, testing, and credential attainment pathway.
- Lycoming Career and Technology Center: $500,000 to expand its existing Medium/Heavy Vehicle and Truck Technology program by establishing a Heavy Highway Transportation and Diesel Workforce Pathway.
McKean County
- Seneca Highlands CTC: $316,000 to establish a new, cross-program technical training initiative between Heavy Equipment Maintenance, Construction Trades, Welding, Engineering Technology, and Automotive Technology programs with career pathways in the Heavy Highway Industry.
Mercer County
- Farrell Area School District: $490,000 to implement a new Middle School Heavy Highway Industry Summer Trades program.
- Mercer County Career Center: $500,000 to expand its existing Commercial Driver’s License training program.
Montgomery County
- Eastern Center for Arts and Technology: $96,238 to implement PennDOT's Construction Inspection Certification program.
Northampton County
- Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School: $480,000 to expand opportunities for students to have exposure to work-based learning in welding, fabrication, manufacturing, construction and infrastructure.
Schuylkill County
- Schuylkill County Area Vocational-Technical School: $242,052 to expand existing technical training by integrating Heavy Highway Industry career awareness and skill development into existing secondary CTE programs such as Diesel Technology, Outdoor Power Technology, Automotive Technology, and Auto Collision Technology.
Warren County
- Rural Regional College of Northern Pennsylvania: $500,000 to expand its existing registered pre-apprenticeship program to increase awareness and preparation for careers within Pennsylvania's heavy highway industry.
Washington County
- California Area School District: $490,710 to establish a new welding program operated within the district's existing approved career and technical education operation.
Wayne/Pike County
- Wallenpaupack Area School District: $500,000 to implement a new welding program.
Westmoreland County
- Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center: $500,000 to expand its existing transportation and infrastructure workforce programs, such as Construction Trades, Welding, Electrical, and Powerline Technology.
- Northern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center: $411,148 to implement a new Heavy Highway Industry Career Pathway to connect students in grades 9-12 to careers in heavy equipment operation, highway maintenance, diesel/heavy equipment maintenance, commercial transportation, material handling, construction, welding, and related HHI occupations.
York County
- York County School of Technology: $500,000 to expand its existing Heavy Equipment Operations program by combining heavy equipment training and commercial driver training.
The CTE grant program is supported by federal highway construction dollars deemed eligible for workforce development initiatives through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
DOT: Alexis Campbell, alecampbel@pa.gov or Erin Waters-Trasatt, ewaterstra@pa.gov
PDE: Casey Smith, casesmith@pa.gov
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