HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania is directing approximately $11.8 million in federal highway funding to 27 educational institutions across 21 counties to expand training for construction, transportation, and infrastructure jobs, as the state seeks to strengthen the workforce available for highway projects.
The Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation and Education disclosed the awards through the first round of the PennDOT Career and Technical Education Grant Program, a competitive initiative supporting technical instruction, industry certifications and work-based learning.
The grants will finance new programs and expand existing courses for middle school, high school and college students preparing for occupations such as construction inspection, heavy equipment operation, welding, commercial driving, electrical work and surveying.
Individual awards range from $96,238 to $500,000, with funding distributed among school districts, career and technical education centers, community colleges and universities.
The program is financed through federal highway construction funds made available for workforce development under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The initiative follows Gov. Josh Shapiro’s July 2023 executive order establishing the Commonwealth Workforce Transformation Program, which directs workforce development investments toward industries involved in building and maintaining Pennsylvania’s infrastructure.
“These grants will help schools start or expand programs to expose students to the trades that will continue building Pennsylvania,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll stated.
In southeastern Pennsylvania, three institutions received a combined $1.1 million for specialized training programs.
Bucks County Technical High School received $500,000 to establish a four-year welding and infrastructure career pathway focused on heavy highway construction.
The Eastern Center for Arts and Technology in Montgomery County received $96,238 to implement PennDOT’s Construction Inspection Certification Program, expanding opportunities for students to obtain credentials relevant to transportation construction oversight.
In neighboring Lancaster County, the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center received $491,100 to expand its heavy equipment and diesel equipment programs with commercial driver’s license training and construction inspection certification.
The awards also include substantial investments in western Pennsylvania.
Carlow University in Allegheny County received $500,000 to establish training pathways leading to a Construction Inspector Certificate and a post-baccalaureate certificate in heavy highway project management.
Parkway West Career and Technology Center received another $500,000 to develop a construction inspector training program, while the Community College of Allegheny County was awarded $280,850 to expand commercial driver’s license Class A and Class B instruction.
Penn Hills School District received $352,500 to establish a carpentry and construction career pathway at its high school.
Elsewhere, Franklin County Career and Technology Center received $500,000 for a heavy equipment operator and maintenance program, and Pennsylvania College of Technology in Lycoming County received $483,100 to expand commercial driver’s license preparation, testing and credential attainment.
Several recipients will use their grants to introduce highway-related instruction into established technical programs rather than build entirely new training operations.
Clarion County Career Center received $500,000 to integrate highway industry coursework into construction trades, diesel technology, welding and cooperative education.
Lehigh Career and Technical Institute was awarded $500,000 to expand its heavy equipment operations and preventive maintenance curriculum.
Mercer County Career Center received $500,000 to expand commercial driver training, while Farrell Area School District was awarded $490,000 for a middle school summer trades program.
Other awards will support welding instruction, transportation maintenance, construction inspection and apprenticeship preparation across the state.
“Career and technical education programs are preparing learners to fill critical workforce gaps in Pennsylvania,” Education Secretary Carrie Rowe stated.
The grants are intended to connect classroom instruction with industry-recognized credentials and practical training, providing educational institutions with additional resources to prepare students for infrastructure-related employment.
The awards cover institutions in Allegheny, Armstrong, Bucks, Clarion, Dauphin, Fayette, Franklin, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lehigh, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Montgomery, Northampton, Schuylkill, Warren, Washington, Wayne/Pike, Westmoreland, and York counties.
The funding represents the first distribution under the new grant program, extending Pennsylvania’s workforce development efforts into technical education programs directly connected to highway construction and maintenance.
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