Governor Pence Announces More Than $3 Million in Local Grants for Innovative CTE Programs

Statement

Governor Mike Pence today announced grant awards of just over $3 million for new Innovative Career and Technical Education (CTE) Curricula. The grants are designed to encourage innovative and collaborative career and technical training opportunities for Hoosier students and adults working in conjunction with the eleven regional Works Councils around the state.

The grant funds, the first of $4.3 million in total provided by the Indiana General Assembly over two grant cycles, are 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.

"We're grateful for the high level of commitment and collaboration from our Indiana business and local workforce communities to support innovative programs that expand hands-on opportunities," said Governor Pence. "Thanks to the General Assembly, these ideas will take root and expand career and technical education options to better prepare Hoosiers for their futures."

Career pathway sectors targeted by the grant applicants include advanced manufacturing, health care, welding and machining, logistics, energy production, entrepreneurship, and WIRED (welding, innovation, robotics, engineering and design). Highlights of the first group of recipients include:

- In Elkhart, students can enroll in work-based learning through Career Pathways in Health Care. Students will graduate with stackable and portable credentials, as many as 30 college credits, and a minimum of two health industry certifications.
- Vincennes University is working with Jasper Engines, Kimball Electronics, Toyota, Master Brand Cabinets and other businesses to create an advanced manufacturing program centered on trusted improvement methodologies (TPS, Lean Six Sigma).
- In Kokomo, Chrysler Group's Advanced Manufacturing program will serve 10 high schools and four CTE Centers through a developing curriculum with Ivy Tech and Conexus that features a stackable degree structure, which features a complete early-college experience that enables students to graduate high school with nationally-recognized certifications.
- Welding and machining sectors are the focus of the Warsaw Career Center and local biomedical companies to encourage students to achieve AWS and NIMS certifications, and include hands-on work in the new project design lab and project launch centers.
- Throughout the state, schools and career centers will implement Conexus/HIRE Technology curriculum by embedding it in a project-based, early-credentialing high school model that synthesizes the roles and resources of secondary and post-secondary education, adult workforce development and local manufacturers.
- Region 10 (Southern Indiana) is implementing a project-based advanced manufacturing curriculum that places a heavy focus on industrial maintenance, serving 21 high schools through the Prosser Career Education Center.

"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, 2014 and September 30, 2015.

Source