Merski, Harkins: $475,000 secured to bolster STEM-based career and technical education programs
Funding will support programs at Mercyhurst University, Erie County Technical School
Rep. Robert Merski, Rep. Patrick J. Harkins April 30, 2025 | 4:49 PM
ERIE, April 30 – New funding is coming to bolster career and technical education programs in science, technology, engineering and math at Mercyhurst University and Erie County Technical School, state Reps. Bob Merski and Pat Harkins, both D-Erie, announced today.
The lawmakers said the funding – part of the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s PAsmart Advancing Grants – includes $400,000 to Mercyhurst University and $75,000 to Erie County Technical School.
“The demand for workers who are skilled in STEM fields only continues to grow as tech continues to dominate our top industries,” Merski said. “The new funding will help ensure that Mercyhurst University and Erie County Technical School have the resources needed to continue their excellent programs, so students have the training to step into high-paying jobs and our region’s employers have the highly trained workforce needed to stay competitive.”
Harkins said, “STEM skills are some of the most useful our schools can teach, because they encourage critical thinking and problem-solving. They position graduates for better opportunities – not just in traditional science and math fields but in a broad range of workplace settings. The new grant money will help keep those programs going and ensure that our own regional programs remain cutting-edge.”
Institutions that received $400,000 grants have planned innovative projects to expand access to CTE computer science and STEM experiences for both students and adults. Grants of $75,000 will support collaboration between schools and a local or regional CTE provider or will 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 & Industry has projected that by 2028, there will be about 157,000 more occupations in Pennsylvania that require mathematics knowledge (representing 65% of all employment in the commonwealth), and about 125,000 more occupations that require knowledge in computers and electronics (representing 54% of all employment).
More about the funding is available here: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/education/newsroom/shapiro-administration-invests-10-million-to-expand-access-to-career-and-technical-education-strengthening-pennsylvanias-workforce-for-the-future.html.