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Governor visits Greencastle to announce grants for Innovative CTE Programs
The Putnam County community received a visit from Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as he announced the awarding of more than $3 million in grant funding across the state for new Innovative Career and Technical Education Curricula.
Pence visited Area 30 Career Center in Greencastle Thursday morning about speak on the grants, which are designed to encourage innovative and collaborative career and technical training opportunities for students and adults working in conjunction with the 11 regional Works Councils around the state.
Area 30 was awarded $82,505 with a private match of $55,000 to go toward its new WIRED program, which is an introduction to the research, design and development of manufactured products utilizing advanced technologies and principals.
"Area 30 Career Center and career and tech ed programs across the state are happy to have a governor who has brought career and tech ed to the forefront," Area 30 Career Center Director Lora Busch said. "We will continue to rise to the challenge of preparing our students for post-secondary education in careers that will allow them to be successful, productive and happy citizens of our great state."
The grant funds are the first of $4.3 million in total provided by the Indiana General Assembly over two grant cycles. In total, Pence awarded 18 out of 36 applicants with grant funding for their respective programs with each grant requiring a 3:1 match to the required private investments for the Innovative CTE Curriculum awards.
Several Hoosier businesses have partnered to provide more than $4 million in matching funding and in-kind services to support the first grant awards, expanding new approaches toward certifications, dual credits and internship offerings designed to align with local business needs.
"Because of the leadership and vision here at Area 30, we thought this was the best place to really celebrate Indiana's commitment to make career and technical and vocational education a priority in every high school in our state," Pence stated.
"I said a couple of years ago, when I was applying for the job that you've all afforded me," the governor added. "That I was raised to believe that all honest work is honorable and that our schools should work just as well for our kids, regardless of where they started life and regardless of where want to start in life. Here in Indiana, here in the state that works, we've got a state legislature that puts career and technical and vocational education in the forefront."
Pence, reflecting on his high school past, noted that during that time, regardless of those who were college bound or chose to be career bound, it was something to celebrate equally, a trait he hopes to bring back to Indiana.
"Places like Area 30 and the initiatives that we're seeing happening in communities throughout the state of Indiana give evidence that Indiana is really leading the way back, back to really framing the importance and vitality and the great opportunities for young people right out of the high school experience," Pence explained. "I want you all to understand that this is something very personal to me. All of us are really committed to seeing Indiana once again be a state where our schools work for all of our kids, regardless of where they want to begin their lives."
Career pathway sectors targeted by the grant applicants included a variety of things such as advanced manufacturing, health care, welding and machining, logistics, energy production, entrepreneurship and the WIRED program.
"I have no doubt in my mind, that what we're announcing here today, what we're really putting feet on here today in a whole new generation of innovation is going to lay a foundation for transforming Indiana's economy and leading for a more prosperous future for our whole state," Pence added.
The new WIRED program at Area 30 will incorporate training in modern equipment, including computer numerical controlled machinery, welding, robotics and computer-aided design-driven software with the goal of introducing students to the different career fields that are available within such high-tech industries.
Those students, who continue to a second year, will then hone in on one specific career path to continue building knowledge, skills and experience. Both years of WIRED allow students to earn dual credits and/or certifications in welding, advance manufacturing and design from Vincennes University.
Area 30 students will also be able to gain knowledge into such programs by being aided by those currently working in the industry, who will be guest-teaching for two weeks at a time.
"The business community recognizes the value in these educational partnerships and has exceeded expectations through their commitment to invigorate students' learning experiences and pave the way for a more highly-skilled workforce in their respective communities," said Jackie Dowd, the governor's special assistant for career innovation. "The Works Councils are eager to implement these plans and develop innovative CTE curricula that is both sustainable and scalable for future learning opportunities."
All grant proposals were developed in conjunction with an Indiana Regional Works Council, which brings together local educational, workforce, and business and industry leaders to evaluate local landscapes for educational programming, business needs and potential skills gaps between the two. Awarded funds for this first cycle must be expended between July 1 and Sept. 30, 2015.
"In Indiana it's not one size fits all, but it's how to do we work with local schools and how do we work with local businesses to design curriculum and programs that will be relevant to the opportunities that are available on a regional basis for our kids," Pence said. "My ambition is that every Hoosier graduate finds a world-class opportunity to work and to build a future and to raise a family here in Indiana.
"We want to create opportunities that draw young people here and that show you can work in world-class companies and have world-class futures," the governor said. "This is just the beginning, this is a down payment, if you will, on our commitment to make career and vocational education a priority in every high school in the state of Indiana."
Also receiving funding was:
* Elkhart Area Career Center -- $124,500
* Fairfield Junior-Senior High School -- $13,667
* South Bend Community School Corporation -- $39,819
* Warsaw Area Career Center -- $350,000
* Chrysler Group LLC -- $100,000
* Kokomo School Corporation -- $75,338
* Tecumseh Area Partnership -- $174,292
* Conexus -- $289,050
* Anderson Community School Corporation -- $292,320
* Central 9 Career Center -- $126,900
* Goodwill Education Initiatives, Inc. -- $314,993
* Jay School Corporation -- $153,776
* Parke-Vermillion Education and Training Interlocal -- $89,710
* Columbus Area Career Connection -- $204,805
* Prosser Career Education Center -- $294,693
* Perry Central Community School Corporation -- $76,101
* Vincennes University Jasper Campus -- $250,265