The Baker-Polito Administration issued a $500,000 grant to Greater Lawrence Technical School to update their advanced manufacturing program. (File photograph)
Andover’s Greater Lawrence Technical School is one of 33 schools statewide to share in nearly $11 million in skills capital grant funding to secure new technology and expand programming.
Designed the give students an edge on the competition as they advance their education, the skills capital grants from the Baker-Polito Administration have helped several local schools invest in students’ futures. In 2017, Baker visited Haverhill’s Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School to deliver $1 million in funding to revamp the school’s machine shop.
Greater Lawrence Tech also plans to update their advanced manufacturing program with the state funds. The high school plans to use the $500,000 to purchase a high-tech milling machine, measuring equipment, a plasma cutting table and other associated materials for their program, officials said.
Through a partnership with Northern Essex Community College, Greater Lawrence Tech students have the opportunity to earn dual enrollment credits for their high school coursework that may be applied to college advanced manufacturing certificate programs.
“The equipment purchased by high schools and colleges over the past three years through Skills Capital Grants has directly impacted the educational experience for thousands of Massachusetts students to better prepare them for the workforce,” Baker said last week.
Since 2015, the grant program has awarded more than $48 million to 157 different programs across the state, Baker’s office said.