Ciresi: $50,000 Equipment Grant for Western Montgomery Career and Technical Center

ROYERSFORD, Dec. 21 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, announced that the Western Montgomery Career and Technical Center has been awarded the maximum grant of $50,000 by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for the purchase of new equipment to help train students in skills required for high-demand occupations.

“I know from my years in business and in the legislature, the foundation to a thriving economy is a highly trained workforce,” Ciresi said.  “This state grant will help ensure that our young people at the Western Montgomery CTC are getting the in-demand skills that will make them sought after hires in today’s highly competitive economic climate. I applaud the state’s investment in the development of Montgomery County’s workforce.”

Under PDE’s program, the Western Montgomery Career and Technical Center has received the maximum grant of $50,000. This grant must be matched dollar-for-dollar from local sources.

Ciresi applauded the Wolf administration for making the development of career and technical centers and high schools a priority in its goal of developing a world-class 21st century workforce. In the past eight years, the number of career and technical education students earning industry-recognized credentials has increased by 49.5% and the number of credentials earned by students enrolled in CTE programs has grown by 32.6%.

There are more than 80 CTCs in Pennsylvania that offer a combination of classes and hands-on learning in programs approved by the Department of Education. Thousands of students earn industry credentials or certifications for local jobs in high demand, so they graduate on a path for success.

For more information about Pennsylvania’s education policies and programs, please visit the Department of Education’s website.