MANSFIELD — State Senator Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario) has announced that more than $7.2 million is coming to Richland County to support career-technical education programs.
Both Ontario Local Schools and Pioneer Career & Technology Center will use the funds to prepare Ohio’s students for future careers.
“Ohio’s economy is booming, and we are in need of a well-developed and well-trained workforce to keep it moving forward,” Romanchuk said. “These investments in career-technical education will help our next generation have the skills to find fulfilling jobs in today’s economy.”
Ontario Local Schools will receive $642,849 from the Career Technical Education Equipment Grant Program.
The funding will help the district purchase updated equipment for career-technical programs.
There are 56 schools across Ohio that will receive more than $67.7 million from this program to expand their reach to an additional 10,345 students.
Pioneer Career & Technology Center was awarded $6,613,375 to renovate an existing building into an advanced manufacturing center with a new welding lab.
The funds will also help the center establish its new electrical trades program.
These dollars come from the Career Technical Construction Program, which is investing almost $200 million to build and expand classrooms throughout the state.
Both grant programs were allocated money in House Bill 33, the state’s main operating budget, which Sen. Romanchuk supported.