Wilkin announces more than $11M for local career tech schools

State Senator Shane Wilkin (R-Hillsboro) announced that more than $11 million has been awarded to two career technical schools in the 17th Senate District.

Thirty-five career tech planning districts across the state will receive nearly $200 million from the Career Technical Construction Program to construct or expand facilities on their campuses.

"Our career technical centers are doing phenomenal work teaching our next generation the skills they need for the workforce," Wilkin said. "These funds will allow them to take their instruction to new heights. I was proud to support this grant program in the budget and I believe that the funds will supply students in Appalachia with comparable opportunities that the rest of Ohio receives.”

The centers in the 17th Senate District receiving funds are:

• Gallia-Jackson-Vinton JVSD: $3,790,220 for the center's Electrical Broadband, Telecommunications and Power Line Workers programs; and

• Pickaway Ross JVSD: $7,635,336 for the school's Commercial Carpentry, Construction Technologies, Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing and HVAC programs.

The Career Technical Construction Program allows eligible vocational school districts to renovate, improve, or build facilities that support occupations on Ohio's Top Jobs list or that qualify for the Innovative Workforce Incentive Program under the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.

House Bill 33, the state's main operating budget, allocated these dollars for the grant program, which is administered by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. Funding was provided by the American Rescue Plan Act.

Senator Wilkin represents the 17th District in the Ohio Senate, which encompasses Fayette, Gallia, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross and Vinton counties, as well as part of Perry County. Learn more at www.OhioSenate.gov/Wilkin.