The Indiana Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE) has awarded 9 high schools with an Education Readiness Grant. This grant program supports recipients in offering CTE programs that prepare students for careers in advanced manufacturing and information technology. Launched in partnership with Conexus Indiana, the grant is in its second year.
This year’s grant incorporated expert input from TechPoint to broaden assistance to information technology CTE programs with industry employer needs front-of-mind.
The OCTE awarded a total of $749,000. Grant recipients will use the funding to purchase new and innovative technologies and equipment identified in their applications as they prepare to implement programs in the 2023-2024 school year. The 2023 Education Readiness Grant recipients are listed below.
Advanced Manufacturing:
• Middlebury Community School Corporation (Northridge High School) – $70,000
• Martinsville High School – $100,000
• Pike Career and STEM Center – $90,000
• Mitchell Community Schools – $100,000
• New Palestine High School – $100,000
Information Technology:
• Indianapolis Public Schools – $75,000
• Mississinewa High School – $71,000
• Northwest Allen County Schools (Carroll High School) – $64,000
• Franklin Township High School – $79,000
In addition to providing funding for secondary schools to offer new CTE programs, Education Readiness Grants are aimed at strengthening partnerships between industry and local schools. Schools using these grants must partner with a local employer to provide students with a work-based learning experience that directly complements their CTE pathway in advanced manufacturing or information technology. These intentional partnerships are aimed at recruiting more students into these high-demand fields and graduating job-ready students with experience and credentials needed by local employers.
Education Readiness Grants complement Next Level Programs of Study (NLPS), Indiana’s redesign of secondary career and technical education courses which launched this school year. Grant recipients were required to be implementing or expanding one of 4 eligible programs of study in the advanced manufacturing and information technology sectors. All 65 NLPS programs are designed to ensure CTE students have the opportunity to earn dual credits, obtain postsecondary credentials, and engage in work-based learning experiences while in high school.
Grant recipients will participate in regular convenings over the course of the grant cycle with OCTE staff and industry experts from Conexus and TechPoint to gain insights and strategies on effectively implementing their selected program of study. The ongoing implementation efforts of 2022 grant recipients will also inform this year’s cohort.
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About the Office of Career and Technical Education
Operating under the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, the Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE) serves as an integral part of Indiana’s talent development system. The OCTE helps to connect industry, workforce development, and education through the development and implementation of rigorous and relevant career and technical education (CTE) programs of study that prepare students for a wide range of high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand careers. Students in Indiana’s CTE programs will gain the knowledge, skills and abilities needed for success in postsecondary education and economically viable career opportunities.
About Conexus Indiana
For more than a decade, Conexus Indiana, one of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) nonprofit initiatives, has been positioning the Hoosier State as the best place for advanced manufacturing and logistics industries to innovate, invest, employ and succeed. By collaborating with industry, academic and public sector partners on a shared vision for an innovative, skilled workforce and stronger business climate, Conexus Indiana has helped to create opportunities for advanced manufacturing and logistics companies, prepare Hoosiers to succeed in the state’s largest industry sectors and maintain Indiana’s competitive advantage. For more information, go to www.conexusindiana.com.
About TechPoint
TechPoint is the nonprofit, industry-led growth initiative for Indiana’s technology companies and overall tech ecosystem. The team is focused on attracting talent, accelerating scale-up companies, activating the community and amplifying stories of success. For more information, please visit www.techpoint.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Sam Rourke
SRourke@gov.IN.gov
(913) 206-7678