FITCHBURG -- The Baker-Polito Administration recently announced $9.7 million in grants from the Skills Capital Grant Program to 47 educational organizations across the Commonwealth to update equipment and expand student enrollment in programs that provide career education. One of the 47 recipients was Monty Tech, the area's popular vocational-technical school, serving more than 1,400 students from 18 cities and towns.

These awards mark $102 million in total funding provided to high schools, colleges and other educational organizations since the program's inception in 2015. Of that, Monty Tech has received more than $2 million, improving eight of the school's twenty-one training programs.

The Skills Capital Grant Program was originally launched in 2015 with the goal of replacing outdated equipment and technology, mainly at vocational technical high schools and community colleges. Since then, the program has evolved into a crucial component of local workforce training efforts by expanding the number of young people and adults trained and experienced with the newest technologies used by local employers. Approximately 40,000 students across the Commonwealth have directly benefitted from these grants.

"The Skills Capital Grants have helped give thousands of young people opportunities in high-demand jobs, and the grants have had a tremendous impact on students, schools and local businesses," said Governor Charlie Baker. "These significant investments made over the past six years in this program with our partners in the Legislature will help train students to adapt to the changing needs of our economy."

"North Central Massachusetts depends on a talented and trained workforce pipeline to keep our economy going," said Monty Tech Superintendent-Director Sheila Harrity. "These grants have given us an opportunity to visit with area employers to determine their specific needs, retrofit our shops to include the most current technology, and train our students to fill vacancies when they graduate. The relationships we have with our business partners, coupled with this incredibly generous grant funding, keep us at the forefront of career and technical education in Massachusetts."

The competitive grants are awarded to educational institutions that demonstrate partnerships with local businesses, as well as align curriculum and credentials with industry demand to maximize hiring opportunities in each region of the state. About two-thirds of the investments made with the grants are directly aligned to reduce skills gaps in high priority industry sectors, including health care, manufacturing, IT and skilled trades. A percentage of the funding, about 5 percent, has been invested in multi-year strategic projects in manufacturing, healthcare and energy training programs which are projected to have significant regional impact. The most recent Monty Tech award will benefit the school's Welding & Metal Fabrication program, providing funding for additional welding booths, replacing outdated equipment and technology with newer tools and equipment that align to regional workforce demands.

"As we continue to address economic disparities across the Commonwealth and provide solutions to employment gaps in high-demand industries, the Skills Capital Grants play a significant role in training students of all ages for successful long-lasting careers," said Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta. "The impact of these grant funds on students, educational institutions, and local business partners is incredibly positive and moves us toward a more equitable economy."

Approximately 68 percent of the funds have been awarded to traditional high schools and vocational technical schools, 24 percent going to colleges, and another 8 percent to community-based organizations. A focus of the more recent grant awards has been the launch and expansion of the Governor's Career Technical Initiative (CTI), which supports vocational-technical schools in expanding their impact by operating programs in the afternoons for local high school students and in the evenings for workers and adult learners.

"Monty Tech is also very proud to have recently received two CTI grants, so that we can expend access to training programs aligned to high-need industries in our area. Area residents will have increased access to valuable training in Welding, HVAC, and Health Occupations through the School of Continuing Education," explained Dr. Harrity. "We are thrilled that the Baker-Polito Administration continues to prioritize the expansion of high-quality career training, and we continue to seek ways to bring more training and certification opportunities to more local high school students and adult learners."