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MARIETTA – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik announced more than $6 million in funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission recenty, to be awarded to five projects supporting workforce and economic development in communities impacted by the downturn of the coal industry; including $100,000 awarded to Washington State College of Ohio.
The funding is part of the federal Partnership for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization initiative to help address coal-related job loss in the Appalachian region.
"These investments will connect more people in Ohio's great Appalachian region with essential training and good careers, while helping our employers build the roster they need to compete on a global scale," said Tressel.
The Governor’s Office of Appalachia, a division of the Ohio Department of Development, worked with local development districts in Ohio’s Appalachian region to provide opportunities for projects that could qualify for funding and aid in the federal application process.
Washington State College of Ohio will receive a $100,000 grant to develop a regional K12-to-career pathways strategy for southeast Ohio, through collaborations with school districts, career centers, community partners, and industry leaders.
The project will assess existing programs to identify best practices, and design a more consistent and equitable regional framework that aligns student readiness with long-term workforce needs while reflecting both student interests and employer demand.
This project will produce a regional plan that outlines goals, recommendations, and next steps to strengthen pathways across the six-county service area over the course of one year.
Other projects that received funding are: Access Tusc (Tuscarawas) will receive a $2 million grant to support its REACH - The Aging Workforce project, Shawnee State University (Scioto) will receive $2 million to expand its industrial chemistry program, Youngstown State University (Mahoning) will receive a $1.5 million grant to create a Connected Infrastructure Lab at the YSU Excellence Training Center, and the City of Niles (Trumbull) will receive a $402,500 grant to construct a new electrical infrastructure and upgrade distribution capacity to support local industry expansion.
A representative for Washington State College of Ohio was not immediately available.