Greater Lawrence Tech, Whittier Tech, Haverhill High to Expand In-Demand Career Programs

Accepting the grant during a ceremony Tuesday are Whittier Tech Superintendent Maureen Lynch, Whittier Tech School Committee Chairperson Brett Murphy, Medical Assisting senior and SkillsUSA MA President Jaidyn Craig of Haverhill, and Vocational Coordinator Amanda Crosby. (Courtesy photograph.)

Greater Lawrence Technical School landed a $4 million state Skills Capital Grant Tuesday for its planned two-story addition for its aviation maintenance technician and other programs, while Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School, Haverhill High and other schools received awards to upgrade technology and lab spaces, expand career programs and increase capacity in workforce training programs.

Greater Lawrence Technical School is using its facility’s grant for Aviation Maintenance, Healthcare Assisting, Fiber Optics and Robotics programs with such industry partners as Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Northern Essex Community College, Straumann, EDI Telecommunications and Air Bear Aviation. Plans allow for an additional 648 students to be served over the next five years.

“We created the Skills Capital Grants to ensure young people and adults in every region of the Commonwealth could learn and gain skills on the most up-to-date technologies and equipment so they would be well-prepared for in-demand careers,” said Gov. Charlie Baker.

Whittier Tech received the next highest grant locally, securing nearly $500,000 to upgrade technology and equipment in its Automotive Technology and Health Assisting vocational programs.

The school will use $235,371 of the grant to purchase equipment for the Automotive Technology pathway to introduce electrical vehicle training, maintenance and repair. The remaining $264,090 pays for upgrades for the Health Assisting pathway, including the addition of an Anatomage Table, which is the most technologically advanced anatomy visualization system available.

“This funding will go a long way in expanding our pathway offerings and supporting our students through innovative means,” said Superintendent Maureen Lynch said, adding the school strives to keep students up to date on the latest technology.

Haverhill High School plans to use $150,000 for technology and equipment to support the Environmental and Life Science Innovation Pathway and the Manufacturing Innovation Pathway.

State officials say about two-thirds of the investments made with the grants are intended to reduce skills gaps in high priority industry sectors, including health care, manufacturing, IT and skilled trades. About 5% of the money is targeted to multi-year strategic projects in manufacturing, healthcare and energy training programs which are projected to have significant regional impact.

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