$200,000 grant to help Greene CTC retool equipment
WAYNESBURG – All of the equipment Greene County Career and Technology Center anticipated replacing over the next five years will be updated immediately thanks to a $200,000 state grant announced Wednesday.
State Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson, announced the grant from the state Department of Education during a news conference Wednesday at GCCTC with students, instructors and other Greene County educators and officials in attendance.
Trista Thurston/Observer-Reporter
Trista Thurston/Observer-Reporter
State Rep. Pam Snyder
“If we don’t invest in our children, what kind of society are we?” Snyder said. “The one common theme was they need some updated equipment to be able to have our students be prepared for the workforce when they graduate high school.”
About half of the money will be used to purchase a new paint booth for the auto collision program, something they’ve been unable to replace for years. Instructor Todd Keiffer said it is an expensive and necessary piece of equipment. He said the upgrade will mean one thing for his students: jobs.
“Throughout this school year, we have been plagued with problems with the spray booth. It’s been down more than it’s been working,” Keiffer said.
GCCTC Director Mark Krupa said the center is also trying to address adult education and the needs of local industry. He was particularly proud of several students taking home state championships, moving onto national competitions this upcoming summer.
“Getting $200,000 is a big deal,” Greene County Commissioner Blair Zimmerman said. “It is a really big deal.”
Other upgrades to come with the money include:
- welder, beveling machine and helmets for the welding program;
- toolroom lathe for the machining program;
- rack system for the sports medicine program;
- range and smoker oven for culinary arts;
- styling chairs for cosmetology;
- cut-off machine for construction;
- several pieces for the emergency and protective services program, including a spreader, cutter, push-pull arm and power unit, along with other related items.
The GCCTC plans five years at a time and tries to rotate which programs will receive upgrades or updates.
“With this $200,000, I’m able to take those needs and those assessments we have … and I’m able to buy those for the next roughly seven years,” Krupa said.
That funding can then be reallocated for other purposes. GCCTC has 330 students in 12 instructional programs, along with expanding adult education.