AASHTO Journal - PennDOT Helps Launch New Workforce Grant Program

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Department of Education recently unveiled a new grant program for educational institutions to help grow Pennsylvania’s workforce and expand career pathways for young people in the heavy highway construction and maintenance industry.

[Above photo by PennDOT]

The agency is making up to $12 million in federal funding available for this new competitive grant program, with a maximum possible grant award of $500,000 per eligible applicant.

PennDOT said it will accept grant applications via this program through September 1 to support career pathway education, technical training, industry certification, and on-the-job learning in the highway industry for elementary, middle, high school, and college students.

All Pennsylvania educational institutions are eligible to apply for grants through this program, PennDOT said, including public school districts, private schools, cyber schools, Career & Technical Centers, Youth Development Centers, and institutions of higher learning.

There are no regional or residential restrictions within the state; however, an educational institution’s primary campus must be located within the state of Pennsylvania, the agency stressed.

Furthermore, applications will need to demonstrate collaboration with industry partners such as regional industry employers, organized labor or trade unions, workforce development boards, post-secondary education partners, or community-based workforce entities.

“Our schools and educational partners are preparing our future workforce,” Mike Carroll, PennDOT secretary, explained in a statement. “These grants will help schools start or expand programs to expose students to the trades that will continue building Pennsylvania.”

PennDOT noted that it helped develop this grant program following a July 2023 executive order issued by Governor Josh Shapiro (D) that created the Commonwealth Workforce Transformation Program or CWTP; a job training program that provides workforce development investments to ensure companies, contractors, unions, and others obtain the skilled workforce they need.