Nearly $3 million in New Jersey’s County Vocational School District Partnership grants will be distributed among seven school districts, the N.J. Department of Education (NJDOE) announced recently.
The County Vocational School District Partnership Grant Program is state-funded and supports county vocational-technical school districts that partner with business and industry; comprehensive K-12 school districts; and postsecondary institutions to expand high school students’ access and participation in career and technical education (CTE) programs. Grantees must implement the CTE program over three consecutive school years beginning in 2018-2019.
Gov. Phil Murphy has called for a renewed focus on workforce development, vocational training, and apprenticeship programs so workers will have the skills they need to meet the demands of 21st century employers. It is estimated that 33,000 high school students and more than 6,000 adult students attend New Jersey’s 21 county vocational-technical school districts.
“These grant awards demonstrate our commitment to offering multiple career pathways to high school students,” said Acting Commissioner of Education Dr. Lamont O. Repollet. “One of our priorities is to increase access to CTE and this grant program provides students with opportunities to obtain an apprenticeship, industry-valued credentials, or dual credit from a postsecondary institution.”
The Notice of Grant Opportunity provides additional information on the NJDOE County Vocational Partnership Grants.
The selected districts include:
District | Award | Program | Location | Secondary Partners | Postsecondary Partners |
Bergen County Technical Schools | $500,000 | Health Science | Bergen Community College | Garfield School District Bergenfield Public School District | Bergen Community College |
Camden County Technical Schools | $500,000 | Digital Media Communications | Camden County Technical Schools – Pennsauken Campus | Camden County College | |
Hudson County Schools of Technology | $175,780 | Exercise Science | Hudson County Schools of Technology | Hudson County Community College | |
Hunterdon County Vocational School District | $500,000 | Heavy Equipment Operators | Voorhees High School Hunterdon County Educational Services | Voorhees High School Hunterdon County Educational Services (facility only) | Raritan Valley Community College Pennsylvania College of Technology (Penn College) |
Morris County Vocational School District | $330,000 | Cybersecurity | County College of Morris | County College of Morris | |
Passaic County Technical Institute | $486,852 | Computer Science Futures | Passaic County Community College Ramapo College of New Jersey | Passaic High School | Passaic County Community College |
Somerset County Vocational & Technical Schools | $379,131 | Restaurant and Entrepreneurial Management | Raritan Valley Community College William Paterson University Johnson & Wales University | Bedminster Township Public Schools Watchung Hills Regional High School South Bound Brook Public Schools | Raritan Valley Community College |