As more jobs are expected to prioritize proficiency in mathematics and electronics in the coming years, local educational organizations will use state funding to equip students with the skills to shine in the workplace.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education announced $10.35 million in PAsmart Advancing Grants for Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that expand access to computer science and science, technology, engineering, and math education for learners across the commonwealth, PDE officials said.

The grants — awarded to 55 organizations in 29 counties — support high-quality STEM and computer science and professional development opportunities across Pennsylvania.

Locally, the Berwick Area School District, Luzerne Intermediate Unit, Mahanoy Area School District, Old Forge School District, Wallenpaupack Area School District and Scranton School District were each awarded a $75,000 grant to support collaboration between schools and a local or regional CTE provider, or to help communities design and plan local and/or regional approaches to expanding CTE education in STEM and computer science.

The Center for Workforce Information and Analysis at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry projects there will be about 157,000 more occupations in Pennsylvania that require mathematics knowledge and about 125,000 more occupations that require knowledge in computers and electronics by 2028, PDE officials said.

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration strives to help ensure students gain the skills, credentials and real-world experience necessary to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving job market through funding support for innovative partnerships, cutting-edge training and expanded learning opportunities that prepare students for high-demand careers in fields such as electric vehicle technology, engineering, artificial intelligence and health care, officials said.

The Kingston-based Luzerne Intermediate Unit, in partnership with Luzerne Learns to Work, will use the money to address the critical issue of low mathematical proficiency as a barrier to high-paying jobs in STEM fields, said Dr. Rich Mackrell, LIU’s assistant director of STEM and innovative practices.

“Our approach offers a valuable opportunity for students at various stages of their career exploration,” Mackrell said. “The program specifically targets students who view the STEM-related concentration areas of Career and Technical Education (CTE) as a pathway to career readiness, as well as graduation-ready CTE students planning to continue into higher education, where a foundation in postsecondary math is essential.”

Two student cohorts will participate in out-of-school learning sessions to ensure math proficiency and readiness for advanced courses without missing regular instructional time, Mackrell said. The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry and the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce will support the program through real-world insights by connecting mathematical mastery to expanded STEM/CS postsecondary opportunities, he added.

Family engagement is also a core component, with caregivers encouraged to attend program activities, fostering a sustainable support network at home, Mackrell said.

The Scranton School District plans to use the funding to improve programs related to engineering and computer science, said Katona Miller, STEM program director for the SSD.

“This is huge for helping us to expand some of the programs we began putting back in place as we entered financial monitoring from recovery,” Miller said. “The initiative is called STEMIFY (STEM Is For You) and it focuses on expanding some of our existing programs we began implementing this school year. At the middle school level, it looks to expand our computer science and computer technology courses that were, at one point, removed from our middle schools. It also supports training with the teachers, adding some additional supports and technology into the classrooms, as well as working with Lackawanna College to look at career pathways. We were fortunate last year to partner with McCann (School of Business) on some computer science initiatives. Not only were we able to train teachers and get many of them certified in computer science, we were able to expand it and offer additional teachers in-class training for some pieces that can be added and supplemented with the curriculum. This grant will also help us expand that initiative so even more kids will have access.”

The district will also expand and update its engineering pathways through a partnership with Johnson College by adding blueprint engineering and 3D modeling to the classrooms, Miller said.

Erin Keating, Ed.D., Scranton School District superintendent, feels the grant will serve as a valuable resource to hopefully inspire students to explore different opportunities.

“The great thing about this is it focuses on all three middle schools and both high schools,” she said. “It really starts to bring equity to the offerings in our STEM programming and it starts to get our kids — especially at the intermediate level — engaged in these subjects earlier because it’s a link to 21st-century jobs and in-demand careers.”

Keith Gunuskey, Wallenpaupack Area superintendent, noted the grant will help fund a robotics program for the engineering classroom and a brake system for the district’s automotive program.

“A significant portion of the grant will be used to prepare and train our Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers for a Career & Technology Center (CTC) which we’re looking at building here in Wayne and Pike counties,” Gunuskey added.

“This money will allow our teachers to observe other CTC’s, check out their programs and see how they work in a CTC setting versus what we offer in a comprehensive high school, so when it’s built our teachers are ready to hit the ground running,” he said. “We have CTE programs here in our district, but we don’t have a Career & Technology Center like they do in Luzerne, Lackawanna and Monroe counties. Once we do, our teachers will kind of have to transition into a new way of education.”

Articles of agreement have been signed between the four participating districts (Wallenpaupack Area, Wayne Highlands, Western Wayne and Delaware Valley), Gunuskey said.

“We’ve been completing a feasibility study and it’s going to be presented in June and July to all of the school boards,” he said. “We feel very strongly, at Wallenpaupack, that a CTC needs to be built because we have nine approved CTE programs, with a 10th — aviation — on the way and we need more space.”

Christopher Gatto, Ed.D., superintendent of the Old Forge School District, said the grant funding will be allocated to modernize the industrial arts program, particularly in the seventh, eighth and ninth grades.

“Right now it really focuses on our high school, but I know there is a large push through PDE and the state to look at industrial arts in the middle school so students are exposed to it, and that exposure fosters a sense of wanting to go into the trades,” he said. “We have a real problem in the trades — our tradesmen are getting older and we don’t have as many students going into the trades. We’re looking at carpentry, plumbing, computer-aided design … all the different trades. I’ve reached out to the Scranton Chamber of Commerce, the Lackawanna County Workforce Development Board, Simplex Homes and Johnson College. Our goal is to partner with these groups and agencies to make a well-rounded industrial arts program.”

Gatto envisions personnel from Simplex visiting the schools or students taking a field trip to the company’s facility.

The Mahanoy Area School District will use the grant to fund a greenhouse project, said Suzanne Mayberry, a STEM and technology education teacher.

“Students from the FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) and Schuylkill County CSO (Chief Science Officers) clubs and the AP Biology class identified a need through projects in the district,” Mayberry said.

The FBLA students started a Weekend Backpack Program for elementary students, where they distribute more than 220 bags of shelf-stable food to students every Friday to take home for the weekend, according to Mayberry. Students also assist Helping Harvest with its monthly food distribution to the community.

The goal of CSO students is to make the community aware of STEM careers and opportunities through self-driven projects, and the AP Biology students were interested in advancing and cultivating their skills, growing and maintaining ecosystems, Mayberry added.

Through the project, biology students will determine what to order for the greenhouse, and the CSO team researched greenhouses and developed blueprints; students discussed location, irrigation methods and square footage needed for the project, Mayberry added.

Several parents, along with carpentry students from the Schuylkill Technical Center, are also assisting with the greenhouse project, which will be disabled accessible to allow Life Skills students to help with the maintenance, she said.

Students were responsible for planning, pricing, budgeting and crafting the grant proposal with assistance from the administration, Mayberry said. Senior students will start the project during the summer months and share the food grown with the local pantry, she added.

In addition to the greenhouse project, the grant funding will allow for other exciting opportunities for students, Mayberry said.

“(It) opened doors for our district in the STEM arena as students will be able to test their programming skills, drone skills, and develop personal projects for testing,” she said.

The Berwick School District will launch a transformative K–12 STEM-to-Workforce Pipeline initiative, connecting students to high-demand careers through early exposure, hands-on learning and strategic community partnerships, acting Superintendent Paul Caputo said.

The district will collaborate with DegenSTEAM Academy, NE Florida Regional STEM2Hub, the Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce, the Foundation of the Columbia Montour Chamber, Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit, Columbia Montour Area Vocational Technical School and Luzerne County Community College to expand STEM and career-readiness opportunities, Caputo added.

Those groups will provide programming, mentorship, curriculum guidance, and workforce insight to ensure students graduate with the technical and employability skills needed in today’s economy, district officials said.

Key goals of the initiative include establishing a K–12 vision for career readiness, emphasizing skills like collaboration, communication and adaptability; identifying and closing curriculum gaps in STEM and employability skill instruction; expanding and aligning pre-pathway experiences and student enrollment in high school and post-secondary STEM/CTE programs; developing and annually updating a K–8 curriculum map aligned with the Advance CTE Career Ready Practices; increasing use of engaging, real-world, inquiry-based learning methods; offering quarterly PD focused on STEM integration and instructional innovation; sharing outreach materials to increase understanding and support for STEM education; and growing participation in CS and technical skill programs to drive long-term workforce outcomes, Caputo said.

“This collaborative effort is more than just a grant project — it’s a reimagining of what education can be when we work hand-in-hand with community partners,” said Elizabeth Shotwell, D. Ed., director of curriculum and instruction for the Berwick Area School District. “By aligning our classrooms with the region’s economic landscape, we are giving students real opportunities to succeed while supporting our local industries. This is a community investment in our future workforce.”